A Kingfisher Stake Out - 8 June 2012

Last weekend, me and PK spent some time sheltering from the rain at Penghy's Pool. The hide there is old, small and rather damp but we made the best of it. We were entertained by a Common Tern which spent an hour circling the pool and dropping down for fish. Its plunge-dive was awkward looking but its success rate surprised us. Then out of the blue - or grey to be precise - a Kingfisher dropped out from the trees to our right and sped off low across the water. PK's face lit up with the kind of glow that warms me faster than microwaved Ready-brek! The bird showed briefly a couple of times way over on the west side before it eventually disappeared beyond the north end of the pond.

Preamble done, today was stake out day...

I arrived at 8am, well prepared for a long, cold wait. I set up my camera and focused on the perch in front of the hide 'just in case' I thought to myself. Four hours passed with just a distant glimpse of the bird crossing the pond. A young boy arrived with his Nan and within minutes I spotted the bird coming directly toward us. A few metres away from the perch, with landing gear down and opened wings slowing its approach for touchdown... "KINGFISHER" shouted the excited boy as he simultaneously threw a pointed hand from the hide! Landing aborted, the bird swerved and disappeared - so did they!

'Unfortunate timing' I thought (ok so that's the publishable version) but although I knew there was little chance of a repeat show any time soon, I chose to wait a while longer. Over the next  hour I drained my coffee and just enjoyed the view. Suddenly and from which direction I do not know, there it was, perched in front of me! As I slowly took it in, time appeared to freeze and I conjured up a surreal image of myself staring peacefully at the scene, as if carefully examining a frameless masterpiece in a dimly lit gallery. It was as if the earlier disappointment was for a reason,  and now alone, my reward was an experience that was somehow elevated to this heightened level.

I did regain sufficient consciousness in time for a few snaps before it flew off. Remarkably though, it returned to the perch before I had packed up to leave. Halcyon days are here again!

During the drive home I couldn't help wondering... did PK drug my coffee this morning?

Kingfisher ♂ on Penghy's Pond following a 5 hour stake out

and it soon returned to show me its other side