3rd November 2012, Watching the kingfishers again!

The weather promised a bright sunny day so what to do.......go kingfisher watching was top of my list today, it turned out rather well! The autumn influx of birds is also under way so I had high hopes when I began my walk, the canalbank is not a pretty sight or an easy walk at the moment, deep and slippery mud everywhere and it is a good job the incentives were high.

The bright sunlight shows the male mallards off to their best, the magnificent colours gleam out:-)

Another favourite is the moorhen and again some sunshine makes the photography a whole lot easier..

The sounds of birdsong emanating from the canalside bushes was a real joy, I couldn't capture with the camera all the things I saw, some were too well concealed or just too quick! This blue tit obliged though..

The local thrushes and blackbirds seemed to out in good numbers, whether they were preparing to defend the berry bearing bushes against the incoming fieldfares and redwings I don't know...

Another bonus was small flocks of long tailed tits flitting through the bushes...

A superb day with all this happening around me, it was to get better. My patient tracking, logging and pursual of the kingfishers means I am likely to know where they will land after being disturbed. Seeing one in flight I followed slowly and carefully, even more carefully when I neared its likely perch...my reward:-)

The season of autumn brings the wonderful colours in the trees..

After a coffee stop and rest I set off on my patrol again, this time a newly arrived fieldfare was to be seen feasting on berries.

Another kingfisher sighting followed, this time it was fishing and it emerged with a fish and flew eastwards. I knew where to look, sure enough here it was with its prize, I felt like a prize winner as well:-)))

These are moments when all the miles walked in all sorts of weather, the days of not seeing much, being cold and miserable and footsore, all disappear and I feel just a sort of elation.....

I was careful not to disturb the kingfisher and left it to enjoy its tasty treat, good timing as it turned out, a kestrel appeared within reasonable range..

I was happy with my days sightings and hopeful the photographs would turn out well, heading for home I could not resist a shot of a juvenile swan though!

A tree full of nervous and edgy birds will always demand attention, fieldfares in a large group...

And now the walk was almost over, a great day...now what do you find at a rainbows end??