A miracle at the Kingfisher nest.

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A short video showing one of the birds twice emerging from the burrow this morning. If you look carefully, (I have slowed it down to half speed), it's interesting to see how the bird backs out of the burrow in identical fashion, you can see how it turns acrobatically in mid-air before flying off.

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The male flies in to the burrow with a fish confirming, by the size of prey the presence of large chicks in the nest.

Here, with fish delivered, the bird emerges seconds later.

Having turned in the air the bird flies up river to find more food.

It was 5.40am when I sat in the hide in front of the nest this morning. Almost immediately I saw a Kingfisher disappear inside the burrow, that was very pleasing! As I had walked towards the area I wasn't confident because I just couldn't imagine that the nest burrow and it's contents cold have survived what appeared to be the river level flooding above the nest burrow. Surely it would be a miracle if they had survived that. Amazingly that miracle happened. During my stay I saw a Kingfisher every 10 to 15 minute, disappear inside, and the emerge from the burrow. Then, the 100% confirmation that I hoped to see. I saw the female who had landed just in front of the nest with a large minnow, then, after a short while, a minute or so, I watched her disappear inside and then just seconds later, it emerged without the fish. What a result and absolutely amazing. All in all, in my 3 hours at the nest both Kingfishers delivered about 15 fish but by 7 o'clock the visits had become less frequent. Usually the birds would arrive quietly but on occasions they would call loudly before I then saw them enter.