December 13th
I’ve actually been out and surveyed wildlife today! And the weather was terrible! Once a month I have a regular survey (okay, I’ve done it twice, but it will be regular!) where I count waterbirds on a local stretch of water. My bit of water is a small reservoir a few miles down the road, I think it serves the nearby canal as a source of water. Anyway, there were a modest amount of birds their and the subject of today’s advent window type post.
Kingfisher Alcedo atthis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Everyone knows what a kingfisher looks like right? At least my UK readers will, we only have one species here and it is spectacular, electric blue with a turquoise streak on its back and a bright orange breast. Pretty small so they can be illusive despite their bright colours. In other parts of the world their are different kingfishers, bigger ones and ones with different colours, but as far as I’m concerned there’s only one kingfisher.
Advent species so far:
- 1st: Goosander Mergus merganser
- 2nd: December Moth Poecilocampa populi
- 3rd: Horse Chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum
- 4th Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
- 5th Cape Sparrow Passer melanurus
- 6th Loricera pilicornis
- 7th Great Tit Parus major
- 8th Tipula paludosa
- 9th Redwing Turdus iliacus
- 10th Bank Vole Myodes glareolus
- 11th Tawny Owl Strix aluco
- 12th Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
- 13th Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
A Species a Day 