Kingfisher Hunting Question

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Hey all!

Just spied a kingfisher grabbing lunch out of the waterway behind our offices.

Wanted to ask all the experts on TP a quick q - how far away from the riverbank nest do they usually fish? Want to know if it is worth me setting up gear at lunchtimes and seeing if I can get a shot?

Thanks all.
 
I don't know about distance, but to increase your chance of getting a shot i would suggest supplying the little fella with a 'staging post'.

I have no idea how accessible the river is, but if you can put a branch/log sticking vertically out of the water to give the Kingfisher something to watch/fish from, the only other things you require are luck and patience.

I've seem it done on a TV show and would repeat be prepared to wait.
 
Awesome idea about the perch.

Thanks matey :thumbs:
 
Perches are good to do so long as you are aware that they are schedule 1 bird so it is against the law to intentionally go anywhere near when birds are at the nest site.

I would Recke the site to see how often they visit as you can wait hours and get nothing, and if people disturb them they are off. Try and get used to their call sound - a high pithed peep is best way to describe it, as best clue as to them being about.

king-7.jpg
 
Look for likely places for Kingfishers to fish - convenient perches over the water, especially if the water is flowing briskly. Providing a convenient perch at such a place is a good idea - they like to be right over the water so that they can look down and see the fish. They like to return straight to the perch with their catch and bash it on the perch several times to kill it and crush it a bit till it's more edible.

As said keep well away from the nest, you could cause them to desert it and land in hot water besides. Long streaks of white Kingfisher poo by the nesting holes usually show where the nest is.

Kingfishers can be maddening - sometimes they're about and sometimes you can spend days without a glimpse.
 
I found a pair of kf the other day, they are super fast and were covering a very large stretch of water with a small stream running alongside, no idea where the nest is. but will be having a look next time to see if they are locals
 
Thanks for all the advice guys and gals.

I am fully aware of the kingfishers being protected - was only asking about the nest as a point of whether it was worth me setting up each lunchtime in our office overlooking the water or whether they nest miles away and would have 10's of feeding sites.

Thanks Biko for the headsup on the call - not one I am familier with in the countryside around us.

CT- the water is a fresh water feeder into London so the current is not strong - but it is a fairly secluded strip of water so fingers crossed they will visit regularly. Our MD spotted one on monday too. Big thanks also for the interesting info on feeding habits. So hope I can capture one - I rarely get chance on days off to spend time at the reserve so this could be an awesome chance at lunchtimes!

Thanks again. :thumbs:

Are there any routines/times of day I should be aiming for?
 
They will be more active when the youngsters are hatched as more mouths to feed apart from themselves, and a food source and perch not too far from the nest is optimum.
 
Like all birds really early - just after first light is a good time to catch the early feeders, but there's no really hard and fast rules - it's a game of patience and more patience.

If youj have a breeding pair with young then they're under enormous pressure to feed them - needing literally hiundreds of small fish every day and that's when they're at their most active.
 
I popped into the kingfisher hide at slimbridge last year and there was one instantly showing off, catching fish etc.

Beginners luck. I've since sat in that hide for ages several times with no show!:bang:
 
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