18 Comments
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Emily Lovegrove's avatar

MASSIVE number of house martins suddenly arrived today!! Dozens and dozens of them. Was spell-binding on the chart? Or shrieks of OMG look!! LOOK!! OH!! MORE!!THEY’RE WONDERFUL!!??

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Melissa Harrison's avatar

Can I claim bingo on the contents of my own head?

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Deryck's avatar

Just once, at a pond in the Cotswolds, a mystery small brown bird flew quickly along the bottom of a bank below my feet.

Then, suddenly, a change of direction and its identity was revealed. Kingfisher blue is all angles and perspective.

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Frances Mary D'Andrea's avatar

We always know when it's getting to summer in Pittsburgh (USA) because the cigars with wings are back! I love them.

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Julie's avatar

Oh, I love your description of the Kingfisher!

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Lev Parikian's avatar

Thank you!

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Josephine's avatar

Thank

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Lorian's avatar

A delight, as always!

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Lev Parikian's avatar

Thanks, Lorain

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Juliet Wilson's avatar

Lovely! Our Swifts have returned to our street, though not as many as in previous years. Meanwhile Kingfishers are nesting (as they usually do) in the banks of Edinburgh's Water of Leith, but this year apparently they have an unprecedented five fledglings!

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Lev Parikian's avatar

I always enjoy walking along WofL on my annual Edinburgh visit. Where exactly are these kingfishers? (I know I can usually see dipper and grey wagtail along the Stockbridge stretch)

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Juliet Wilson's avatar

These kingfishers are nesting just downstream of the WoL Conservation Trust visitor centre. I've seen the adults in the Dells (just upstream of the visitor centre) but haven't yet seen the youngsters.

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S. OC's avatar

We have chimney swifts where I live. They are always up so high, it is their movement and their chittering that lets me know what they are. But a picture? Never.

And can anyone tell me why it is strange birds fly away as soon as I have the Merlin app open?

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Lev Parikian's avatar

They just know.

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S. OC's avatar

Perhaps I have insulted them by calling them strange rather than unknown. I shall try to adjust my nomenclature.

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Ian Barnard's avatar

I'm not a fan of colourful birds as a rule. Keep your Avocet, I'll take a Barwit thanks. But that low, clockwork flight of a Kingfisher can enthuse even me. Always a special moment.

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David Styles's avatar

I saw my first kingfisher on 11th January. The sighting prompted me to download the Merlin Bird ID app. 44 species spotted so far!

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Claire Blennerhassett's avatar

Kingfishers... you're so right, you never forget an encounter, however fleeting. Amazing!

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