Kingfisher

On a day when most sane birders would be sat in front of the fire with a copy of The Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America  I was stood on the North Wall at Pagham. With an air temperature of 2 degrees and a brisk North Easter blowing right along the wall, birders were in short supply. In fact the only other person resembling an avian enthusiast was Andrew House, I assume he  is as brave (daft) as I am to venture forth in such conditions. Even Andrew's dog didn't seem to be relishing being out for a walk in "brass monkey" weather. I hunkered down behind the Salthouse hoping that something would turn up, the only action was two Grey Plovers contesting a forlorn piece of mud right in front of the sluice, a Redshank occasionally joined in but wasn't really committed to a territorial dispute.

 

 

Then the customary blue flash and things brightened up considerably, a Kingfisher doing the rounds of both sides of the sluice posed for a photograph. After several hours of being stood in the cold even this colourful lady couldn't keep me from returning home to a large mug of steaming hot tea - roll on spring!

Meanwhile back at home, Wilf, or more probably great grandson of Wilf, was tucking in to the sunflower hearts again!