The belted kingfisher in March

I was in the area today so called in for my monthly dose of the Lancashire belted kingfisher. It was showing as soon as I arrived and was as good a view as any I have had, save perhaps my very first view of the bird on the Ribble at Redscar Wood. Even so it was a good 100m distant making phone scoping the only viable option if I wanted anything like a decent photo.

I've now seen the bird in November, December, January, February and March, seven times in total, and no doubt I'll go again if it stays. When a bird like this is on your doorstep it seems like madness to me not to fill your boots while you have opportunity, I might never see another in the UK. This is only the 5th for Britain, with the last twitchable bird in Staffordshire in 2005.

This is the bird through my bridge camera on 20x magnification. I like the photo though because it shows how high up the bird can often sit. It would be easy to miss if you just looked low down near the water.