Hi All
It has been all go here today!
We have been joined by the St Albans and the Blackwater U3A groups so with all these sets of eyes we were rewarded with some great sightings.
A Kingfisher was seen investigating the new bank!!!!!!! Wow. I really was not expecting any activity until maybe the autumn when birds are moving around. But this morning a kingfisher was sitting on the post we installed outside the bank. After watching the bank for a bit it would fly up to the face of the bank and hover before returning to its post and it did this a number of times, checking out the holes. This is amazing. So keep everything crossed and we may get a second pair nesting!!! A great big thanks to all of the volunters on the managemetn work parties who helped with the banks construction.
Also reported this morning were a Peregrine, a Curlew flying over, 2 Oystercatcher, Shelduck, and 2 Mediterranean gulls flying over calling heading towards the visitor centre. This afternoon we were able to add Barn Owl to the list with a fly by at the Warbler Hide.
NB 4.30 update added Kittiwake on the lagoon from the Gadwall hide.!
A Fabulous set of sightings!
And in Farewell we must sadly say Goodbye to Joan our Site Manager, today is her last day. Joan is heading off to pastures new. We all wish her Good Luck
Good bye and Thanks from the Rye Meads team.
Thanks
Vicky
sorry something went wrong while i was writing the reply and decided it was best to just contiue on a different post.
There is a possibility of erecting a small hide near to the new kingfisher bank once we have obtained all the relevant permissions. However there will be restricted access to the hide and there will be a charge for its use due to its proximity to the nest bank.
i hope this answers all your questions and you will visit us again
thank you
vicky
Hi Leslie
I am very glad you enjoyed your visit to Rye meads and especially the Kingfishers. Yes i agree we are very lucky that the kingifhsers have taken to the kingfisher hide nest bank so well and we are able to offer visitors a great viewing oppertunity. We are aware that the popularity of the kingfisher can at times cause issues with viewing and adjustments to the hide would offer a better experince and we are thinking about how best to go about this in the future.
The new kingfisher bank is intended to offer the oppertunity for a potential second pair of kingifhsers rather than becoming the main kingfisher focusas twe have recently re-landscaped the scrape in this area to enhance the appeal to passage waders.
Hi Vicky
Firstly good luck in your new post at Rye Meads.
I really enjoy seeing the kingfishers at Rye Meads, you have something very special with the artificial nest bank/kingfisher hide.
It's great news that a new artificial bank has been has been built in the vicinity of the Draper hide and that kingfishers are already investigating it.
I note that the new artificial nest bank is only visible from one small side window of the Draper Hide. I am given to understand that another hide is going to erected, overlooking the new artificial bank and that the current kingfisher hide will be renovated to include a new viewing area next to the disabled hide in the 'downstairs' area of the hide.
I hope to hear that both of these improvements are going ahead, making for a far better experience of viewing the jewel in the crown of Rye Meads, your kingfishers!
Leslie