An excited email from DKG this morning:
” A few photos of our Kingfisher at last. After 5 years of trying to capture photos of the park’s resident kingfisher, yesterday (Sunday 20th) finally produced the photos I had been after. But these came about as usual with no intention of looking for it and if not for Ian, I would have even missed these shots.”
“I arrived at the park at 07.00 and after a stroll around, disturbing a couple of pheasants in the process, I headed back to car park to meet up with Ian & Pat . We then proceeded on the regular litter pick around the park, the three dogs leading the way. Arriving at the ornamental bridge we decided to keep to the main path instead of heading into Village Green.”
“On arriving at the pond we were looking at and discussing the willow barrier, installed a couple of years back. I turned to walk away when Ian called me back and pointed to a blue object in the young willow branches , several metres away.”
” A kingfisher? Looking through the zoom lens confirmed it was; our voices went into whisper mode and, trying to hold the camera steady, I fired off several quick shots thinking it would fly off. But no, it stayed there with no movement whatsoever. So quickly checking camera settings and propping myself against the fence, I fired of several more shots, we couldn’t believe our luck as it just remained motionless, occasionally glancing downwards.”
“I was hoping to capture a dive into the pond for its breakfast but no action was forthcoming. After a few more minutes it then flew off heading towards the ornamental bridge, it’s always the same, right place/right time. If we had been walking earlier or had gone into the Village Green this opportunity would have been missed forever.”
A response from Ali Rasey, our Countryside Officer:
“Lovely Dave, amazing shots!! What a thing to brighten the winter. I wonder if that’s a regular perch for it. And I wonder where it is going to nest. Are you going to submit a pic to the Wilts Times – I really think you should.”
To which Ian says:
“The high banks along the Lambrok are ideal nesting sites – but where?”
Southwick Country Park Nature Reserve 
Beautiful pictures. Well done.
Lovely photos. A couple of years ago we photographed a kingfisher fishing on the Lambrok Stream at the bottom of our garden, though not half as good as these. I imagine these kingfishers travel the lenght of the Lambrok looking for food. They are often seen on the river where it runs through the field by Brookmead in Southwick.
Yes, and WHSAP has allocated the stretch of the Lambrok between Southwick and the park for development. It’s a particular kind of short-sightedness, possibly limited to politicians and developers.