Better fisher than me!

Editor Kevin Wilmot writes:

As a lifelong angler as well as a birdwatcher, I've grown used to seeing Kingfishers regularly, although I've never been fortunate enough to have one settle on my fishing rod. However, Saturday's sighting was little more exciting than the norm. I was preparing for a fishing competition on Raveley Drain, which borders the nature reserve at Woodwalton Fen in Cambridgeshire. After watching a pair of Treecreepers spiralling up the tree opposite, a blue flash caught my eye and sure enough a Kingfisher was darting along the drain, stopping suddenly on a small branch only 10 metres or so away from where I was sitting.

It stayed motionless for a few seconds before plunging into the water for a tiny fish which it carried away along the drain. Fantastic, and something I'd never seen at such close quarters before. My day's fishing was not quite so successful - it took me ages to catch anything at all!