kingfisher

[ACE]

While I was on holiday I used to go up on deck each morning and have my coffee. I spotted a flash of colour and to my amazement watched a kingfisher working. I dare not move to get my camera in case I scared it as it was only a matter of yards away.

This is the first time I have ever seen one and I did not realise they were so small, but the colours were fantastic. I saw others during my holiday but they were farther away and by the time I had my camera focused they had gone. They are very fast.

[Robert_Brenchley]

They are indeed. When I was a kid I could always count on seeing them on the Thames below Sandford Lock. I don't know whether they're still there. They used to breed in the gravel pits nearby, and once I found an eroded nest, and could see the chamber at the end with a litter of ancient fish bones in it.