I've been meaning to post this for ages.

While on the bryophyte course at FSC Preston Montford, early one morning I was awoken by the call of a kingfisher. I looked out of my window and saw one fly into the vegetation round the pond outside, it then flew up onto the roof opposite, then sped off down over the pond - which is in a courtyard - straight into the dining room window. I quickly put on some clothes, grabbed my camera and rushed downstairs. At first I though the bird might have broken its neck, but when I touched it it moved okay. The upper mandible was really curled over at the end, so I carried it with me back to my room, where I straightened it out the best I could with some forceps out of my bryophyte kit. I then took it back outside and held until it finally came round, sat up and flew away.

I don't know whether it was the same bird, but I saw a kingfisher in the same place on a couple of more mornings, and each time it flew over the top of the building - in the same direction as the first - giving the window a wide berth!

This post was last modified: 18-09-2007 07:23 AM by wild canon.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow!

What a brilliant thing to have happen, and lucky for that kingfisher that you were around to give assistance.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would imagine you were quite chuffed by the whole thing !

Kingfisher

What an experience! I'm so glad the bird was alright, it sounds like it was the same one that you saw on later days if it had the sense to avoid the window

It must have been a great feeling to help out such a magnificent bird.

It's just a case of being in the right place at the right time - again.

Many, many years ago, I was walking my dogs in a local park, when I saw a small bird - I think it may have been a robin, but too long ago to remember - fluttering around at the side of the path. When I got to it, I found it was caught in some vegetation - looked like a creeping tendril from a vetch had got twisted round its leg. I released it from its predicament and it sat on my hand for a second, chirped at me and flew off. I felt good all the rest of the day.

OOuch!!!! I would have thought that the beak would have broke off when you went to straighten it. What a marvellous looking bird & what an experience.

Yes, I bet it had a bit of a headache for a while, but its beak was very much like fingernail - horny and pliable. It quite surprised me.

That's great that you managed to help the bird. I'm surprised the beak was so easy to bend back to its position. I wonder if it hurt, did the bird struggle at all when you did that?

The bird was still stunned while I operated, it was about 10 minutes before it came round and flew off, it made a hell of a thump when it flew into the window, which was why I was surprised to find it still alive.

Lucky bird????

We have Kingfishers on our local river but rarely see them, just a flash of blue flying past, or occasionally one will sit on the wall beside the river at the bottom of our garden - but not long enough to photograph it.

If possible, try banging a post into the river bed to give the kf somewhere to sit, then you can make a hide against your wall and wait for it to pose for you.

It is very surprising that you found it alive, it's a very lucky bird!

It was quick thinking to bend the beak back into position before it came around. I don't think I would have been decisive enough, more worried about hurting the bird and would probably have taken it to a vet.