It was May 4th when I last saw this bird…….. my Kingfisher. I say that with some confidence because we had a relationship for 7 months or so and then he disappeared without a trace or even a good-bye!   He was with me almost every day throughout the winter and I shared his daily comings and goings and enjoyed watching him eating, bathing and just generally being a Kingfisher. At first I was sure that I had to be well hidden and under cover when I watched him but as time went on I was less careful and he would still come to the well placed perches right in front of my hide. He knew I was there but got used to this crazy bloke sat watching him all the time. I had placed the perches especially to encourage him to come in to my territory. As long as I was still and quiet I was no threat and I could watch him from just feet away. 

Today I went to the hide after tea. The weather here in Devon is dull to say the least but I still went to the brook, you never know what will turn up! The minutes turned to almost an hour and  I was bored to be honest, not even a sparrow had come to the perch. I had brought a lovely interesting bit of wood from the moor, covered in moss and bent with age. When I plonked it in to the edge of the brook I though this is going to be good if anything perches on here, not realising that the Kingfisher would be the first bird to use it. He landed in the really bad light right in front of me and I was chuffed to say the least. I have put some real time in to waiting for him. On average 6 or 7 hours a week and I had honestly begun to wonder if I was ever going to get a Kingfisher in front of me there again. Well, now we know. He stood high on the new perch and then dived to catch a fish, successfully I might add. He is obviously an expert and dispatched it quickly and then as quickly as he came he had gone again. I just hope that it is not 9 weeks before he makes a return. It is exciting for the rest of the year though.  He obviously counts the brook as part of his territory, wherever he has been so I am sure he will be back, and I will be there to take the pictures! By the way, he is in a little bit of a moult, hence he is not at his best around his head. He Has a few pin feathers pushing through and it has made him look a bit scruffy.