Sadly, kingfishers don’t nest at Saltholme. We simply don’t have those high ish sandy banks they like to tunnel into. But in the autumn, the birds start to move around and a few are seen daily here. Clear water is essential for kingfishers peering into the water looking for lunch. In heavy rain, sediment loads mean many streams and rivers become turbid, and this forces kingfishers to move to ponds to look for food.
Because everyone wants to see a kingfisher, we try to install suitable perches for them in front of hides. Not all of them work, as predicting where fish will hang out is a skill I’m still learning. But some of them do, and kingfishers can be seen daily in front of Phil Stead, Wildlife Watchpoint and Paddy's Hides on specially erected perches, or sticks as they otherwise known. Dan McKie took this photo from the Phil Stead Hide, although this post is more distant than the others.
It is said that kingfishers are brightly coloured to warn predators that they are distasteful. I hope that is true, because there are plenty of raptors at Saltholme, there is never a dull moment with sparrowhawk, kestrel, peregrine, merlin and up to 3 marsh harriers.