The bottom of the beak is a different colour for females. The male Kingfisher’s beak is entirely black. The female’s beak has a pinkish-orange tinge on the bottom.
To remember it is a female, many people say she is wearing lipstick.
Male Kingfisher.
Author: Andy Finnegan
How Green is your grass?
Southampton Old Bowling Green, situated on the corner of Lower Canal Walk and Platform Road, Southampton, England, also claims to be the world’s oldest surviving bowling green. It was first used in 1299.
My City.
I revisited Southampton City yesterday to see more of the “Light the South art trail”. A public art event consisting of 40 painted lighthouse sculptures each standing 8ft tall. {there will be a further 30 mini lighthouses.} The art trail is to raise funds for Southampton Hospital Charity.
Below is the link to my post of my 1st visit.
https://wordpress.com/post/skylid.travel.blog/11751
Some different lighthouses seen yesterday.
Below 5 of the mini-lighthouses.
While walking around I took some general views of the town centre.
Civic Centre.
Forest stream.
Another hot weather walk in the New Forest this morning found us following a small stream on the flat which helped us keep cool. There were many Dragonflies – Emperor Dragonflies were “dipping”. An action where they lay their eggs.
Another Dragonfly that was about in good numbers was the Golden-ringed Dragonfly.
A few bird spots.
Nuthatch.
Blue Tit.
A lucky spot walking back to the van was a young Grass Snake.
Goosander.
These diving ducks are a member of the sawbill family, named for their serrated bills, that they use to catch fish. A largely freshwater bird, they first bred in the UK in 1871. It built up numbers in Scotland and, since 1970, it has spread across northern England into Wales, reaching south-west England. Its love of salmon and trout has brought it into conflict with fishermen. This bird seen today in Titchfield Habour is a female (the male has a green head).
Bolderwood.
We went looking for deer in the New Forest today but were not very lucky only distant Fallow Deer. However, on a small pond, several dragonflies were buzzing overhead.
A female Stonechat.
Bee Hives are out in the Forest – As the Heather comes into flower Bee Hives are placed to take advantage of these nectar-rich flowers.
A lone Fallow Deer.
Boiling Sands.
The “Boiling Sands” at Bishop’s Waltham Moor The Sandboils is the name given to one of several spring heads on the Moor which feed the River Hamble. It gets its name from the upwelling water creating swirling sandy patches in the gravelly streambed.
Young Tern.
A juvenile Common Tern on Meon Beach.
Wingspan up to 6 1/2 feet!
Collared Doves.
A small pigeon found on farmland and in woodland, parks and gardens across the country. The Collared DoveSince was first recorded in the 1950s, as breeding in the UK.
Continued Reflections from my World. 