Page 6 - Wildlife News December 2015

(John Hawkins/Surrey Hills Photography)

Kings

of the river

Catching the electric blue flash of a kingfisher mid-flight but the kingfisher nests safely within the riverbank, tucked away
is an exhilarating moment. But this charismatic river and out of sight and harm’s way. The kingfisher’s fiercely territorial
lakeside bird is more often glimpsed waiting patiently and behaviour ensures nests are rarely close together, with a direct
with statue-like stillness on a low-hanging branch close to water. correlation between the number of fish available to feed on and
Here it has the perfect vantage point to stake out its next meal the distance between nests.
of fish. On spotting its quarry, the streamlined kingfisher dives Kingfishers struggle in hard winters, while habitat
quickly and efficiently, beak-first into the water, causing barely a deterioration as a result of, among other things, unsympathetic
ripple as it plunges for its supper. riverbank management, only adds to their woes. BBOWT works
The appropriately named kingfisher is one of our most hard to improve conditions for the kingfisher, and other water
colourful natives. Its pale copper-coloured breast complements birds, at many of its reserves, including Chimney Meadows
the glossy sheen of its bright blue back – there’s no mistaking it. (Oxon) which offers a fantastic chance of witnessing these
A keener eye is needed to distinguish a male kingfisher from a regal birds as they speed over the River Thames or go about
female; the former has a completely black bill while the female their hunting vigil. Buckinghamshire’s College Lake presents
sports an orange underside to its beak – as if wearing a tasteful another opportunity to sweep the water’s edge with the
shade of lipstick! binoculars.
Curiously, a kingfisher’s blue plumage is in fact brown. It’s Other reserves for kingfisher-spotting are by the ponds at Dry
light bouncing within the structure of the feathers that creates Sandford Pit (Berks), along the River Pang at Moor Copse and
the iridescent optical illusion. You’d be forgiven for thinking this by the Thames at Cholsey Marsh (Oxon). Oxford residents can try
light trick might make the birds vulnerable to predator attack, their luck along the Thames by Iffley Meadows.

BEST TIME TO SEE… (Peter Creed)Spawning amphibians Scarlet elfcup
Blackthorn blossom (Richard Burkman)
Toad and frogspawn is found Winter may be a drab time of
Famous for its bluish-purple (Peter Creed)in many ponds from Februaryyear, but the scarlet elfcup is
sloes, blackthorn’s springtime – but how to tell them apart? anything but! The cups are up to
blossom brings a shock of light 4cm wide and brighten up the
to the countryside in March. The Frogspawn (pictured) is laid coldest months with their bright
flowers provide an invaluable in clumps, while toad spawn red upper sides. Find the fungus
stretches out in a chain. Only on decaying twigs among the leaf
food source for early-rising litter and moss of damp woodland.
bees, while the leaves are loved a tiny fraction survive to Dancersend in Bucks is a great
adulthood. Never move spawn place to spot this and other fungi.
by both the brown hairstreak or tadpoles between ponds as
butterfly and its rarer cousin
this could spread disease.
the black hairstreak.

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