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The European Kingfisher or Common Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis, is widely distributed in Europe, Africa, and Asia. It is resident except in northern areas where the rivers freeze. It will then move to milder regions. In most of its European range it is the only kingfisher.
The general colour of the upper parts of the adult bird is bright metallic blue, cobalt on the back, and showing greenish reflections on the head and wings. The ear coverts and under parts are warm chestnut, the chin and sides of neck white.
The bill is blackish and reddish orange at the base; the legs are bright red with a dark blue stripe. In the young the bill is black. Length averages 19 cm (7.5 inches) and wings average 7.5 cm (2.95 inches).
The flight of the Kingfisher is rapid, the short rounded wings whirring until they appear a mere blur. It usually flies near the water, but during courtship the male chases the female through and over the trees with loud shrill whistles.
From February onwards the male has a trilling song, a modulated repetition of many whistles. He also signals with a whistle to the female when he is feeding her, this being his share of the nesting duties. This whistle is produced even when his bill is loaded with food, yet is clear and distinct. The female will reply and emerge from the nesting hole, and may fly to meet him, take the fish from him in the air, and return to the nest.
The bird has regular perches or stands from which it fishes. These may be a few inches or many feet above the water. It sits upright, its tail pointed downwards. It drops suddenly with a splash and usually returns at once with a struggling captive.
Large fish are beaten on a bough or rail; small fish and insects are promptly swallowed. A fish is usually lifted and carried by its middle, but its position is changed, sometimes by tossing it into the air, before it is swallowed head downwards.
Common Tern - Sterna Hirundo
It is strongly migratory, wintering in coastal tropical and subtropical regions. Breeding adults have light grey upperparts, white to very light grey underparts, a black cap, orange-red legs, and a narrow pointed bill. Depending on the subspecies, the bill may be mostly red with a black tip or all black. There are a number of similar species, including the partly sympatric Arctic tern, which can be separated on plumage details, leg and bill colour, or vocalisations.
Breeding in a wider range of habitats than any of its relatives, the common tern nests on any flat, poorly vegetated surface close to water, including beaches and islands, and it readily adapts to artificial substrates such as floating rafts. The nest may be a bare scrape in sand or gravel, but it is often lined or edged with whatever debris is available. Up to three eggs may be laid, their dull colours and blotchy patterns providing camouflage on the open beach.
Population:
UK breeding:
12,000 pairs
When the ice recedes just a few meters from the shoreline of the lake here at my favorite local park lake, the male Common Goldeneyes come in from the nearby Saskatchewan River to claim their bit of open water to attract the females and fight off rivals.
This male was swimming close to a female, and went to this typical courtship pose when another male flew in nearby. The brown mass under his foot are the rump and tail feathers he twisted around while doing this.
I hope to get shots of the often spectacular battles between the males before things get sorted out.
William Hawrelak Park. Edmonton, Alberta.
Wikipedia: The common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), also known as the Eurasian kingfisher and river kingfisher, is a small kingfisher with seven subspecies recognized within its wide distribution across Eurasia and North Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but migrates from areas where rivers freeze in winter.
Common Myna - Kilauea Point NWR, Kauai, Hawaii, USA
Bird Species # (619) that I photographed and placed on my Flickr Photostream. Overall goal is 1000.
eBird Report and listing details - macaulaylibrary.org/asset/630806033
Common redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) male perched on a wire mesh fence.
Samiec pleszki (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) siedzący na siatkowym ogrodzeniu.
Juvenile common starling (Sturnus vulgaris) perched on a branch.
Młody szpak (Sturnus vulgaris) siedzący na gąłązce.
Wikipedia: The common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), also known as the Eurasian kingfisher and river kingfisher, is a small kingfisher with seven subspecies recognized within its wide distribution across Eurasia and North Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but migrates from areas where rivers freeze in winter.
Common redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) male perched on a branch.
Samiec pleszki (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) siedzący na gałęzi.
The male Yellowthroat often perches atop a tall stalk to rap out his distinctive song, wichity-wichity-wichity. That's exactly where I found this beauty yesterday.
Reyezuelo listado (Regulus ignicapilla)
Es una de las aves más pequeñas de la península Ibérica, con 9 cm de longitud y 6 gramos de peso.
Su alimentación se basa principalmente de polillas, orugas de lepidópteros, pulgones y arañas.En los inviernos muy fríos casi se han extinguido; sin embargo, logran restablecer los efectivos.
Common firecrest also known as firecrest
Reyín / Xilín en la lengua madre.
I was out walking at Harmony Headlands recently when I spotted a flash of bright yellow darting in the reeds. I stopped and waited and was rewarded with a lovely view of this colorful little bird collecting bugs for her babies.
Neptis sappho
Taken in the Pirin Mountains (Bulgaria).
More photos can be seen at alexperryphotography.blogspot.com
Common redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) male perched on some wooden structure with a beakful of insects.
Samiec pleszki (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) siedzący na jakiejś drewnianej konstrukcji z dziobem pełnym owadów.