Spiders at Rye Meads

We visited Rye Meads today having heard that the Kingfishers were on their fourth brood but it appears that they have abandonned the nest as no kingfishers had been seen during the whole morning. However there were lots of Spiders including several pairs chasing each other. The smaller body and the large pedipalps identified the males. Also photographed a coupled pair of Emerald Damselflies.

Spring at Rye Meads

Lots of signs of Spring last Friday. The female Kestrel on the left comes off sitting on the eggs when the male calls her, accepts half a rat and flies away to eat it while the male does a short incubation stint. Lots of pairs of Gadwall and the Coots are as aggressive in defending territory as usual, here chasing off a Tufted duck. The Robin and Coot already have young families, very vocal in demanding food.

Kingfisher Preening

 We were lucky today at Rye Meads as the male Kingfisher after taking a large fish into the nest came to the closer branch to have a good wash and brush-up. The picture of him emerging from the water shows the problem of autofocus (picks up splashes rather than bird) and why people spend a lot of money to photograph kingfishers coming to plunge pools where the point of entry and exit can be reliably predicted. Like the way he manicures his feet first and works up with a final scratch of the ear.

Kingfishers Again

 The Kingfishers are now very busy feeding chicks so lots of opportunities for pictures. They always wash straight after leaving the hole but guessing where they will dive is very difficult.

Kingfisher Dive

A composite from today's kingfisher watch

Rye Meads

Male kingfisher

Female Kingfisher

 The male and female Kingfishers changed over incubating at 11 am and the female did not return during the rest of our visit (till 2pm). The male came out once and had a bath before returning to the nest hole.

A Few More from Rye Meads

 A sequence of Kestrel mating and then returning to their nest box, the female having been scared off by a Magpie. Distant shots. Below a Tufted duck pair nearer and in beautiful light

Kingfisher

 Very enjoyable visit to Rye Meads in beautiful sunshine though a very cold wind. The male Kingfisher visited around lunchtime and had a couple  of unsuccessful fishing attempts.No sign of the female though she has been visiting the nesting bank.