Having spent a while this morning looking for Water Rail without success,  I came home at midday with the intention of going out again to Turf later in the afternoon  for the opportunity to photograph the wading birds. Turf is smack in the middle of the Exe Estuary a Site of Special Scientific Interest and always a great place for birds. I like Grey Plover and have photographed them frequently at this site. There are some old wooden posts that used to support some kind of wooden structure and the wading birds like to perch on these at high tide. However its never easy to get close to them, but always worth a try. I got myself down in-between a cleft in the rocks, I was uncomfortable but I was mostly hidden and I thought I might have a chance at a photograph if and when the Plovers came back, I was pretty sure they would. I was experimenting with the camera, taking photos of the wooden pillars, rotten and decayed they were quite photogenic and full of character even without a bird perched on the top. Then suddenly there it was, a beautiful Kingfisher catching the golden rays of the setting sun. I was thrilled to say the least, who wouldn't love to see a Kingfisher and your spirits always soar  when you are close enough to photograph one. I knew it was about to dive so I set the camera to record this and then down he went….yes it's a male…… . I have seen better shots of diving Kingfishers but it was great to see. Then after it had dived unsuccessfully, there it was again and this time right next to me. I took some shots but he was silhouetted against the white sky. ……Oh and Grey Plover, yes they did come back and here's a shot or two of them as well.

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