We had a fabulous time in the winter sunshine at Chew Valley Lake this morning. Chew Valley Lake, just south of Bristol, is the sixth-largest artificial lake by area in the United Kingdom, with an area of 1,200 acres (4.9 km2), but only the forty-seventh largest by volume, reflecting the fact that it is a shallow lake. It is a national centre for birdwatching, with over 260 species recorded. It is particularly shallow at the moment following the dry summer and today there were lots of birds benefiting from the ideal conditions for waders and waterfowl and plenty for me to photograph.
However, the most exciting aspect of our birding session was meeting 7 year old Stanley and his dad who, in fact, pointed out the common kingfisher to us. It was a sheer delight to chat to Stanley who was most knowledgeable about birds and clearly loved being out and about in the fresh air with his dad pursuing his hobby. Stanley told us all about the places he had been recently and what birds he had seen. He told me that he had recently seen a bittern and that one of his favourite birds was a Bewick’s swan. When I told him that we had just seen a pair of Whooper swans at another part of the lake he was very keen to go and see them. Stanley’s dad told me that Stanley much prefers being out birdwatching rather than staying at home, as many young people do, absorbed in electronic games. I am sure that Stanley will become a well adjusted and decent man just as, I imagine, his dad is.
It was very interesting watching the kingfisher as it moved from one side of a sluice to another (and from shade to bright sunshine) as it seem to change considerably in colour. I remember reading that the common kingfisher is in fact brown and that the bright blue colour you perceive is due to a phenomenon called structural colouration. Structural colouration is seen throughout the animal kingdom and makes creatures appear much more colourful than they actually are. So while the coloured pigments in the kingfisher’s feathers are brown, you actually view them as a brilliant blue. It takes some believing, I know.
Comments
10 responses to “30th November 2025 – Chew Valley Lake, North Somerset”
Hi Martin it was lovely to meet you and your wife today. Stanley is really happy you wrote about him and he can’t wait to show his teacher and class friends tomorrow. Thanks for spending time with him and sharing your knowledge. Also the two whooper Swans were there and he left with a big smile
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Fabulous – thanks for getting in touch. It was an absolute delight to meet you today and I hope our paths cross again in some birding spot. We wish Stanley every success and joy with his bird watching. I only wish I had started at his age. Very best wishes. Martin and Wendy
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That kingfisher is gorgeous (brown feathers or not!) … they are always such a pleasure to see.
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Without fail they raise my spirits.
Martin Tayler
Martin’s bird & nature blog: http://martinsbirdblog.com ________________________________
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Hi Martin, it is always wonderful to see a kingfisher. They are incredibly colourful whether it’s a trick of the eyes or not. You saw some lovely birds.
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Thank you, Robbie. The kingfisher has got to be my favourite bird. In French it carries my name – Martin pêcheur!
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That’s nice. If you come across a Robbie bird, let me know 😉
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Wide variety and great photos. Thanks for sharing your birding trips.
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Thanks for your comments, Bob
Martin Tayler Martin’s bird and nature blog: https://martinsbirdblog.com/
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Lovely shots of the kingfisher, what a lovely bird!Welcome to my bird photography gallery/Milla
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