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Charlie Fleming | all galleries >> Birds of the world in Rough Taxonomic order. Species count to October 2024 is 1006 >> Common Kingfisher - Alcedo athis >> Breeding Kingfishers 2013 > June 2nd
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Has incubation begun?

June 2nd

At the nest site. this evening there were some good developments. It wasn't long before I heard and then saw a bird fly past the nest burrow and down the river, and then back again. What transpired then was very reassuring. I have been trying to ascertain if there is a second clutch of eggs laid yet and if incubation has begun? Not being all that experienced with nesting Kingfishers, I still have a lot to learn so I have found it difficult to interpret behaviour. There was a lot of calling and it seemed as though the male was quite agitated as he flew to the bank by the nest, then he was disturbed by the usual dog walkers and I watched him come straight towards me and alight in the tree by the hide. To start with, this was different behaviour than I had seen before. The bird was quite aware of the presence of people and a dog just opposite and yet he chose to remain in the tree watching, he flew back to the nest even though there were people nearby, previously when there had been people nearby he had flown away, only returning when it was completely quiet. I wasn't sure where he was but I switched the camera in to film mode and focused on the nest entrance for a couple of minutes. I didn't see him enter the burrow but when I checked the video I saw that he had quickly and quietly taken his place in the nest burrow. It seems that he was waiting to take over his incubation duties and that's why he hadn't flown clear of the area. I think you can safely assume that there is a clutch of eggs and incubation has begun. I am thrilled that everything is progressing just the way I hoped it would.

Pentax PENTAX K-5 II s
1/3200s f/5.6 at 500.0mm iso800 hide exif
Full EXIF Info
Date/Time02-Jun-2013 18:19:48
MakePentax
ModelPENTAX K-5 II s
Flash UsedNo
Focal Length500 mm
Exposure Time1/3333 sec
Aperturef/5.6
ISO Equivalent800
Exposure Bias0.30
White Balance
Metering Mode
JPEG Quality
Exposure Program
Focus Distance

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