Kingfishers at Dawn

What a morning, a very lucky morning!

Kingfishers are hard enough to photograph but in the Winterbourne stream on the Railway Land Lewes even more so. Yesterday I was lucky enough to to spot two of them having a duel for best spot, at the tunnel entrance at the railway station end, and this little beauty was actually the looser who sat for some time, just bellow the metal bridge over the Heart of Reeds, without catching his breakfast.

I make it look easy and many folk I meet are envious of my sightings so here are a few tips;

If the tide in the main river is coming in, dead high or only half way out then the Winterbourne sluice gate closes and the stream is too deep for the Kingfishers to easily dive to catch a fish. They then go somewhere else to fish or simply rest.

They may also be somewhere else between times when brightly coloured joggers, dog walkers and groups of children are on surrounding footpaths.

Like all creatures, as well as us humans, Kingfishers have favourite spots to sit.

So, go quietly at quiet times and appropriately dressed. Check the tides, remembering that high tide advances approx. 45 min each 24hrs. Listen for the high pitched 'peep peep' call of these beautiful birds and watch the stream sides until you find all their vantage points so that you might sneek uyp on them next time.

Failing that, I might have one or two spaces left on two of the four free Walks & Talks that I've been asked to take this month?

Two entitled 'Reconnect to Nature' will start in Railway land Lewes and can be booked via the following link;

' Walk This Way '

My series of free to access, themed walks across the district will happen over two consecutive weekends at the end of March: 19th, 26th and 27th.

To find out more, head to the Visit Lewes website.