Hi All
Our kingfishers are incubating their first clutch, hurrah! We are happy to report a definite change over witnessed today, so the count down can begin. Incubation is likely to last 19-21 days so we are looking around 27-29 April for the first fish to be taken in to the bank to indicate the eggs have hatched. A clutch is likely to contain 6-7 eggs. During incubation the pair share duties on the eggs and a change over is marked with the vocal arrival of one of the pair at the nest bank, letting the other know they are there. The bird incubating will then leave the nest and is quickly replaced by the other adult in a flurry of activity. The exiting bird will often have a dip and a clean before heading off to catch some fish. Some pairs can be very regimented about time spent incubating, while others can be more biased to one spending more time incubating (usually the female). So after a prolonged spell with plenty of activity at the bank we are now expecting a bit of a lull with change overs occurring every 2-5 hours.
Kingfisher image by Keith Bedford
Other sightings from the last week include a flurry of migrant activity, with our first sedge warbler singing in front of the Ashby hide since yesterday, a willow warbler signing all week just off the first board walk which has been joined today by around another 6 over the site, lesser whitethroat and grasshopper warbler in vicinity of the willow tunnel, blackcap singing all week just passed the Draper hide also in this area today 2 treecreeper, 2 red shank and green sandpiper on Draper during the week joined today by 2 little ringed plover.
Thanks
vicky