Rye meads

I have just come back from a days birding at rye Mead's. My idea of going there was to see the kingfishers but did I see them?? We set of hearing that the the kingfishers had been seen 1/2 an hour ago so there was a good chance. The first had brought us shelduck, pochard, tufted duck and little grebe which came rather close a times. The next two hides Tern and gadwall hide allowed us to see cormorants, great crested grebe and more tufted duck.

Finally the kingfisher hide. Would we see the kingfisher?? As I opened the door I hear a lady call" Kingfisher, kingfisher in the back tree. I found me and my family a seat and there in the back tree was the KINGFISHER! The female sat there for sometime as the hide emptied out and was just about to go and then in came closer. Then flew into a tree. When I thought it couldn't get any better she flew onto the closest post. Result! They are not the rarest bird in the world but they are magnificent birds. The back to the car was exciting waiting to see what the photo would look like on the computer at home. Photos below.

Matthew Foakes

kingfisher

kingfisher

little grebe

Canada goose

cormorant

pochard

shelduck