Kingfishers (2 Viewers)

[zomerset]

Last Thursday late afternoon River Rea the 2 Dippers were back.
Saturday Kate got a phone picture of one up by the Grey bridge past the flood defence. I didn't see one.
Saturday a good cycle ride with Kingfisher at Canon hill park, Ten Acres & the Dental Hospital.
This morning was not expecting much but the 2 Dippers put in a show. They were chasing along the Rea. Went as far as the MAC centre, up the Bourn Brook & then back to the weir. Stopping to feed, warble, dip and bob and then zip as they flew along.
One was still zipping about after an hour.
I checked again this afternoon on a run & one was on the exact same branch over the river as Thursday. It was warbling.
Further along the Rea, 2 Kingfisher.

 

[zomerset]

With some rain yesterday & overnight I was not hoping for much, but along the River Rea just after sunrise the Dippers appeared. They zipped, dipped, chased, warbled, sang & stopped a few times.
https://flic.kr/p/2jXWj2N
Kingfisher gave a few calls.

 

[Julie50]

Great videos of the dipper. I have only seen them in fairly remote streams whilst hiking!

 

[zomerset]

Great videos of the dipper. I have only seen them in fairly remote streams whilst hiking!

Hi Julie yes. I last saw Dippers on a holiday in Devon. Really good to have seen a Dipper along the Bourn Brook a short distance from home. They've been along the Bourn Brook and back down to the River Rea. I never knew they sang & warbled. They sing to the Rea/Bourn brook weir white water. They zip as they fly. Over the weekend the juvenile was sat singing at the River Rea at Cannon hill park. Kingfishers along the Rea. Kingfisher by the Uni and Kate, Paul saw the blue bridge Kingfisher.

 

[zomerset]

River Rea early this morning the Dipper back.
It zipped along the valley, stopped for a warble & song then was off. Has been seen as far as Dads Lane.
Yesterday a Kingfisher along the Bourn Brook blue bridge.
Late afternoon today Kingfisher on the River Rea at CHP.

 

[zomerset]

River Rea yesterday & this morning; Kingfisher & Dipper.
Photo from yesterday;
https://flic.kr/p/2k1MKC2

 

[zomerset]

The Dipper singing is louder with trills now.
It zipped up & down the Rea early morning.
I think there were 2 Kingfisher.
First Song Thrush singing.

 

[zomerset]

River Rea ramp to the Bourn Brook;
Monday the Dipper did its stretches & had a sing.
Today there was no singing.
Kingfisher three days in a row same place.
Tuesday, Kate saw the Bourn Brook Kingfisher twice at the blue bridge.

 

[zomerset]

River Rea Dipper most days last week at sunrise.
Friday the other Dipper was back so 2 Dippers;
https://flic.kr/p/2k3W7vx
Saturday one Dipper was chasing after the Kingfisher.
For the first time other than at the weir, I saw the Dipper going under the water to find food. It did it a couple times for a brief spell and then was back at the side.
I was then lucky to find the Kingfisher right next to me and not see me or fly off;
https://flic.kr/p/2k4coio
Whilst taking the photo I could hear the Dipper feeding and then it flew back and flew at the Kingfisher.
The Dipper flew all the way back to the dam where it started and then the second Dipper appeared and chased after it
Then at the Bourn Brook blue bridge I got a Kingfisher photo;
https://flic.kr/p/2k48m6g
Sunday it was back again;
https://flic.kr/p/2k4wZYP
The Dipper was at the Rea dam and did some preening, stretching & singing before flying up the Bourn Brook and into a Kingfisher. There were some calls.
Dipper at the dam;
https://flic.kr/p/2k4cE5y

 

[the Harborne Flyer]

River Rea Dipper most days last week at sunrise.
Friday the other Dipper was back so 2 Dippers;
https://flic.kr/p/2k3W7vx
Saturday one Dipper was chasing after the Kingfisher.
For the first time other than at the weir, I saw the Dipper going under the water to find food. It did it a couple times for a brief spell and then was back at the side.
I was then lucky to find the Kingfisher right next to me and not see me or fly off;
https://flic.kr/p/2k4coio
Whilst taking the photo I could hear the Dipper feeding and then it flew back and flew at the Kingfisher.
The Dipper flew all the way back to the dam where it started and then the second Dipper appeared and chased after it
Then at the Bourn Brook blue bridge I got a Kingfisher photo;
https://flic.kr/p/2k48m6g
Sunday it was back again;
https://flic.kr/p/2k4wZYP
The Dipper was at the Rea dam and did some preening, stretching & singing before flying up the Bourn Brook and into a Kingfisher. There were some calls.
Dipper at the dam;
https://flic.kr/p/2k4cE5y

For your info ,Kate has submitted a short article on the dippers plus photo for the next West Midland Bird Club Newsletter; to have this species so close to the centre of Birmingham is quite newsworthy.

 

[zomerset]

For your info ,Kate has submitted a short article on the dippers plus photo for the next West Midland Bird Club Newsletter; to have this species so close to the centre of Birmingham is quite newsworthy.

Hi Paul, good to hear!
The 2 Dippers were back today. One flew to the MAC, had a sing & feed & then the 2nd turned up. They sang, fed & chased for an hour. One trying to feed and then being chased. The Kingfisher went up river.
https://flic.kr/p/2k55oyY

 

[the Harborne Flyer]

Hi Paul, good to hear!
The 2 Dippers were back today. One flew to the MAC, had a sing & feed & then the 2nd turned up. They sang, fed & chased for an hour. One trying to feed and then being chased. The Kingfisher went up river.
https://flic.kr/p/2k55oyY

Hello Jason ,I won't say I told you so but today there were three dippers together on the Bourn Brook by the University near to the footbridge and coffee shop. Two grey wags by Austin Webb Boulevard and earlier on a K/f on the Rea behind the Nature Centre.

 

[zomerset]

Hello Jason ,I won't say I told you so but today there were three dippers together on the Bourn Brook by the University near to the footbridge and coffee shop. Two grey wags by Austin Webb Boulevard and earlier on a K/f on the Rea behind the Nature Centre.

Thanks!
Wow! Great Paul!

 

[Rob_S]

A single Dipper on the narrow side channel off the Bourn Brook behind the Dental Hospital around 9am this morning.

 

[the Harborne Flyer]

A single Dipper on the narrow side channel off the Bourn Brook behind the Dental Hospital around 9am this morning.

I think that side channel is actually the start of Chad Brook which has its source in Lightwoods Park, Bearwood. Further upstream it is wider and deeper than it is there.

 

[Rob_S]

I think that side channel is actually the start of Chad Brook which has its source in Lightwoods Park, Bearwood. Further upstream it is wider and deeper than it is there.

You may well be right. Zooming in on Google Maps suggests the side channel goes under Bristol Road and into woodland immediately south of Edgbaston Pool, very close to the outflow channel from the Pool.

Does anyone know that outflow channel? Good Dipper habitat?

 

[the Harborne Flyer]

You may well be right. Zooming in on Google Maps suggests the side channel goes under Bristol Road and into woodland immediately south of Edgbaston Pool, very close to the outflow channel from the Pool.

Does anyone know that outflow channel? Good Dipper habitat?

Once the Chad Brook passes under Bristol Rd it enters private land until it reappears by Harborne Rd ,Edgbaston, so there is no way of knowing whether the habitat is good for dippers. Beyond that it looks very much like the stretch by Costa Coffee but there are no regular kingfishers here as the water is polluted with run-off from the local roads, especially Hagley Rd. There have been a couple of kingfisher records but I guess they take one look and head back towards the Bourn Brook.

 

[zomerset]

You may well be right. Zooming in on Google Maps suggests the side channel goes under Bristol Road and into woodland immediately south of Edgbaston Pool, very close to the outflow channel from the Pool.

Does anyone know that outflow channel? Good Dipper habitat?

Hi Rob. I call that channel Edgbaston pool outflow / Chad Brook. The streams from Edgbaston pool flow into it. I saw both the Dipper and Kingfisher fly up it. I assume they went under the Bristol road. They then both flew back down. Guess they were just checking/hiding. I did think about checking the Edgbaston pool streams for Dipper. Kingfisher is seen sometimes on Edgbaston pool.

 

[zomerset]

You may well be right. Zooming in on Google Maps suggests the side channel goes under Bristol Road and into woodland immediately south of Edgbaston Pool, very close to the outflow channel from the Pool.

Does anyone know that outflow channel? Good Dipper habitat?

Hi Rob. I call that channel Edgbaston pool outflow / Chad Brook. The streams from Edgbaston pool flow into it. I saw both the Dipper and Kingfisher fly up it. I assume they went under the Bristol road. They then both flew back down. Guess they were just checking/hiding. I did think about checking the Edgbaston pool streams for Dipper. Kingfisher is seen sometimes on Edgbaston pool.
The Golf course is the other side of the Bristol road.

 

[zomerset]

Saturday the juv Dipper flew in the usual time on the River Rea. It then flew to the MAC. The second Dipper was there as was a Kingfisher. The Dippers sang as well as one flew close into the other. I was joined by Kate who got good film of one reacting to the other.
They then chased back along the Rea. They both then sung by the Bourn Brook weir and ramp. They then flew up the Bourn Brook. One was back later singing.
Today did not see the juvenile but the adult was along the Rea.