22/12/2021 Samlesbury, Lancashire

Belted Kingfisher: Earlier this week the BK finally gave up the ghost and decided to settled on a small stretch of the River Darwen. Huge congratulations to whoever found it as many were trying since it left its original area along the River Ribble. 

Its new home was on a bend along the River Darwen upstream from of Roach Bridge. 

From here  the bird can sometimes been seen perching upon the branches at eye level and  looking downstream perched above the water.  Definitely a better area then at Redscar Woods.  Now its been found in a reliable area its fast become a very popular bird with hundreds of birders turning up. 

I  would recommend any who need it goes quickly, as soon as you ca before the locals and landowners start to kick up a fuss. 

This is probably my last post before Christmas so let me take this opportunity to say 'Happy Christmas' to all my followers, regular readers and thoses who click on the link and read my musings and enjoy my images. 

25/11/2021 River Ribble, nr Brockholes

Belted Kingfisher: From Florida to Preston this extremely rare belted kingfisher has been on the river near Redscar Woods off on the Turnbrook mouth since the 8th of November. 

Since then the bird had only been seen by a handful of fishermen and no birders, some folk, perhaps even myself were thinking it didn't exist or was long gone. 

I've been three times over the past few weeks, searching for the banks and listening out for what has become a mythical bird,  I even spent a few hours waiting in one area with a panoramic view of the river hoping it would fly up and down, hoping for just a glimpse.

Well today I got better than a glympse, after a report from around 12am I left work and headed straight from Bolton and was there within half an hour or so.

When I arrived the bird was in full view on a overhanging branch before taking cover a little further down stream. It made several passes and alighted upon a hawthorn on the opposite side showing really well.

I was absolutely delighted. A real local MEGA!