Greenshanks, Kingfishers and Tree Creepers

5th May 2017

First stop was Rye Meads to see how the Kingfishers were getting on. On the way round to the Kingfisher Hide, a quick pitstop at the Draper Hide revealed two Greenshanks that had just arrived. The water levels were still fairly high to prevent the growth of vegetation and provide some protection for the nesting birds on the islands This meant that the Greenshanks were a little distant, but still near enough for some shots.

Now into the Kingfisher Hide to see what the Kingfishers were up to. At least some of the young had hatched this morning as the adults were seen carrying egg shells from the nest. So time to settle down and wait for the adults to bring some food. While we were waiting this Heron flew in and stood guard on the nest bank.

Then on a few occasions the male appeared with the smallest of fish, just right for newly hatched young. But every time, although he sat around outside the nest hole for a while, instead of taking the fish into the nest, he ate it. Perhaps the female called out that she wasn't ready yet!!

Then on the way home after a rather successful day, we called in to a glade in a local wood to try our luck with a pair of Tree Creepers that were feeding young. Here there was a never-ending stream of juicy food being brought to the nest suggesting that the young were fairly well grown.