Above - 'Kingfishers' rocks sticking out into Howdiemont Sands.( Click on any image to see larger copy).
Above - Kingfisher 1. Male.
Above- Kingfisher 2. Another male.
Above - The two males meet, and don't seem too happy. Calling a shrill trilling sound, unlike the whistle heard on the streams in summer.
Above - The fight breaks out.
Above - And continues on the rocks...
Above - Until it's just a stare-out...
Above - And the loser flies off across the bay.
An excellent show from these normally quite retiring birds. Does anyone know why they were fighting when they are nowhere near abreeding territory ( and its winter anyway).
2 comments:
Hi Stewart, Boag in his book on the Kingfisher states they usually set up winter territories on their chosen river by mid september and will defend them aggressively. He comments that birds that move to estuaries and harbours show less aggressive territorial tendencies and can be seen fishing in proximity to each other. Perhaps one of your birds has claimed the shore area as its territory or part of it. They can also be very possessive about their favourite perches.
Thats interesting Les. I've only seen Kingfishers here 3 times the first was two fighting, the a single then two fighting again. They haven't read the chapter about fishing in close proximity to each other. This last fight was quite serious and I half expected a serious injury to occur before one flew off out to sea right across to Howick.
Cheers, Stewart
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