I have recently installed a new camera on a post on the edge of the Yew View wildlife pond. I have been filming the visits onto this post for many years now and we had very regular kingfisher visitors up until about a year ago, when they seemed to disappear for a while.
After hearing and seeing an individual about a month ago, the camera was installed and each week I have been checking to see if they are back..... my heart missed a beat when I found just one visit this week from this stunning male! The male and female kingfishers are easy to tell apart as the male has a completely black beak, yet the female has orange on the lower mandible of her beak.
The new camera has wonderful clarity in difficult light conditions, with the kingfisher in shade and the background in sunshine..... what a total beauty! These really are the jewels of the bird world and I can't wait to capture a clip of this bird in sunlight as they really have the most incredible plumage.
I took some stills from the video and processed these to show the beauty of this bird and the capabilities of this Hikvision bullet camera... I'm thrilled with it!
A Grey Wagtail also visited this week. This is a species we have only recently had visiting regualary to the three ponds on site.....
Again, I lifted some stills...
I am hoping we will get more footage like this in the coming months as this pond is full of life and offers a kingfisher a safe and well stocked larder!