It's spring and the kingfishers are back!
Who needs tv soaps... we have our own real life kingfisher drama right here! Ooh I wonder what the kingfisher saga would be called if it was a soap... any suggestions anyone?
The question on everyones lips is "will they breed this year"? Last year the male kingfisher that lives here all year round found himself a nice girlfriend, and they started doing their thing. The pair were seen investigating the bank (we have a specially constructed sand bank for them), the male was seen giving the female a present (a fish), and they were even seen mating... but then they had a lovers tiff! The female dissapeared! So the poor male was left all on his own! But don't worry, the female did come back in June and they made up and raised one brood.
What will happen this year? The male has been spotted all year, showing really well from about February. On the 5 March a pair was seen around the bank, and the female was seen occasionally. On 24 March the volunteers placed a CCTV camera near the nesting bank (there is a screen at the visitor centre) and the pair were seen together investigating the bank.
On the 27 March the pair were seen together and were spotted mating. We haven't seen him given her any fish yet - hopefully he will soon, she likes the presents of flowers and chocolates (ok, I mean fish, but you know what I mean) or she might go and see if she can find another man.
Keep your eyes pealed, and fingers crossed everyone!
Kingfisher Fan - thank you for visiting and being interested in the kingfishers! :)
GrahamC - Fantastic! I look forward to seeing you! Rye Meads isn't too far away from the Rye House train station (you have to go up a set of stairs out of the platfrom, turn right and walk down past the local pub, and the Rye House Gatehouse and carry on for about 300 yards and you should find us!)
I hope that the weather stays nice for you! The kingfishers have been showing well this week - one visitor got soem great shots of the male kingfisher giving the female a fish! I'm going to post it here shortly.
I hope to visit Rye Meads for the first time one day next week! Coming down by train from Sawbridgeworth and am really looking forward to (hopefully) seeing the Kingfishers! Hope the weather holds! Best wishes, Graham.
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Louise
Many thanks for your updates on the KFs and the FB page.
I shall be at Rye Meads again sometime next month.
:)
Dear Kingfisher Fan,
Thank you for the message!
The kingfishers are still around - they are both being seen around the bank, the male has been seen giving the female a fish, and they are still investigating the bank, and I think someone mentioned that they have been seen mating!
The Rye Meads Facebook page is still up and running, I run that as well, I haven't been in the office for a while so I haven't updated it much - but don't worry I'm on it! You can add your own information, sightings and comments to the facebook page if you want!
Hope that helps! I'll keep updating with the kingfisher news!
Lou
Louise,
What are the latest updates on the kingfishers? I commute between Essex and Scotland, so can't always check in to the R M Visitor Centre. I know that the very latest 'goings-on' are announced below the CCTV monitor, but that is not much use to me!
Also what's happening with the R M Facebook page? It seems rather quiet to say the least. Or is that page run independently of the R M Reserve Staff?
Look forward to your response