Kingfisher... Bad and good news

[FUDGEY]

Well my worst fears happened yesterday. The Kingfishers nest got flooded out by the tide. I can see the nest hole with binoculars from a bridge and I went up at 1pm yesterday (high tide and biggest for a while) to see what happened. It just covered the hole by an inch and I was gutted. Anyhow that evening I went 500 yards upstream and sat in my hide to watch a Dipper feeding young. A few minutes later I witnessed the Kingfishers flying up and down the stretch chasing each other in a frenzy. I thought this was taken place because there eggs had been lost. To my delight though the female landed at the bottom of the bank and flew up to a hole it had started (about 4 inces into the bank) and began excuvating the hole. I was amazed how quickly they began this after there loss, but very happy to see they are now nesting in a bank safe from the tide. Now I know it's there I'll steer well clear of the area.

[PMG]

Birds have to learn the hard way just like the rest of us ........ but I'm so glad that they have dismissed the failure and got cracking again so quickly and realised that they need to be further upstream to stop it happening again - good luck to them this time

[FUDGEY]

That was my biggest concern PMG that they continued incubating as the water was only in the nest a couple of hours. Does anyone know if it had that there would be a possibility they could still hatch? I have never seen any info on this kind a thing. Can eggs that have started being incubated that have been in water still hatch? Roughly how long can they withstand it? How long can they be left by the bird? ( I ask this as I found a Ringed plover nest today at a spot where people regularly frequent) and I kindly made a couple who were just about to set up a picnic by there camper van today aware of the nest and they moved on without a problem. While we are on the subject, I will be going to the site a few times a day to see if any one is disturbing the bird and to let them know. If I do this and they refuse is it illegal?

[FUDGEY]

Oh one more q I've always wanted to know the answer to is how long after an egg is just layed can it go without incubation until it's infertile. It must be quite some time. For example say a pheasant with 14 eggs, the first one has sat idle for two weeks without being incubated and still can hatch. Pretty incredible how they can stay dormant for so long.

[PMG]

Originally Posted by FUDGEY

That was my biggest concern PMG that they continued incubating as the water was only in the nest a couple of hours. Does anyone know if it had that there would be a possibility they could still hatch? I have never seen any info on this kind a thing. Can eggs that have started being incubated that have been in water still hatch? Roughly how long can they withstand it? How long can they be left by the bird? ( I ask this as I found a Ringed plover nest today at a spot where people regularly frequent) and I kindly made a couple who were just about to set up a picnic by there camper van today aware of the nest and they moved on without a problem. While we are on the subject, I will be going to the site a few times a day to see if any one is disturbing the bird and to let them know. If I do this and they refuse is it illegal?

Well in my case it would be more questions than answers cos I simply don't know! I take it - and forgive me I'm not being rude - but you must live by the coast or near to know that its a ringed plover - not a little ringed plover on a gravel pit somewhere - which is a protected schedule 1 bird - but ringed plovers are just unfortunate nesting on beaches in that they have to put up with a lot of disturbsance from humans, kids, dogs etc. It depends whether you asre going to come up against someone who will not respect and may turn nasty and destroy the nest for peevishness sake - in some respects it might be better if the plover fawiled with this next and learned to nest somewhere a little less busy........ but I shall watch this thread to see how it goes with great interest and to see if anyone cawn answer your questions Fudgey

[FUDGEY]

Yes it's. Ringed plover for sure PMG and it is on the coast. Unfortunately we don't have LR Plovers in my region. It's only a 2 minute drive from my house so it's no trouble visiting the spot several times a day. I'm pretty sure everyone that I tell will understand and leave the bird in peace, i just wanted to know the legal side of things in case I did come across someone who refused to move. I won't be showing anyone the nest and I'm pretty sure your avg joe wouldn't find it if they did want to destroy it. Those eggs are super camoflagued :-) thanks for your input PMG

[david156]

Hi fudgey.

Try asking JeffH about kingfishers and their nests. His licensed to photograph them at their nest so may have more info on their nesting habits. His also got some cracking photos both on here and on his website.

Cheers David

[PMG]

Originally Posted by FUDGEY

Yes it's. Ringed plover for sure PMG and it is on the coast. Unfortunately we don't have LR Plovers in my region. It's only a 2 minute drive from my house so it's no trouble visiting the spot several times a day. I'm pretty sure everyone that I tell will understand and leave the bird in peace, i just wanted to know the legal side of things in case I did come across someone who refused to move. I won't be showing anyone the nest and I'm pretty sure your avg joe wouldn't find it if they did want to destroy it. Those eggs are super camoflagued :-) thanks for your input PMG

Yes just thought I'd better check we were talking about the right 'plovers' The nest/eggs are more likely to get trodden on by accident rather than intentionally destroyed - as you say the nests are super camo and I think a delight to look at.

Its been a few years since I last spotted one .... the most amusing took me two days to find when we were in the Hebrides - there was a parking and turn round spot on a headland (which - rather thankfully - you can't drive to anymore - the road has been washed away in the storms two years ago) We used to park at the end, get the scope out, make a brew and sit and observe and count nests and species. This particular ringed plover kept changing over at the nest with its partner and then disappearing?? At first I thought it was just hunkered down out of sight - but when the nests were checked on foot the ringed plovers was nowhere to be seen. Two days later I realised it was ducking before disappearing - a fresh look revealed the nest under a large flat stone leant on another big stone - like a big stone tent! It was out of the prevailing wind and also completely dry Some birds are not birdbrained