A WILDLIFE photographer managed to capture charming images showing a kingfisher feeding near a south Somerset reservoir last week.
The Kingfisher, otherwise known as the alcedo atthis, is described by Somerset Wildlife Trust as a beautiful elusive bird that is easily recognised thanks to its bright blue and metallic copper colours.
The website writes: "Blink and you may miss the fantastic kingfisher.
"This beautiful bird is easy to recognise thanks to its bright blue and metallic copper colours."
The species is known to dart along the riverbank or sit patiently on low branches over water waiting for its next meal to swim by.
Kingfishers can be spotted year round, however, autumn is supposedly the best season for capturing them on film.
They and are typically 15-17cm in length with wingspans of 25cm, a weight of 40g and a lifespan of two years.
Kingfishers are classified in the UK as Green under the Birds of Conservation Concern 5: the Red List for Birds (2021) and are protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
READ MORE: Rare birds spotted at Chard Reservoir
Photographer Robin Morrison pictured the bird perched near a south Somerset reservoir eating a minnow during the week of September 29.
He said: "I spotted it with a minnow that it is about to swallow, and then expelling a pellet made up of indigestible bones and fish scales."
This time of year is supposedly one of the best times to see kingfishers as they are frequently visible hunting and perching along rivers and waterways.
There are around 90 species of kingfisher around the world and they can be found across the UK but are absent from northern Scotland.
Their habitats include grassland, heathland, moorland, freshwater, farmland, coastal land, wetlands, woodland and towns/gardens.
Share