Sightings of rare belted kingfisher bring birders flocking to Lancashire

By Phil Cunnington
Published 4th Jan 2022, 15:45 BST
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Birders have been flocking to Lancashire in the hope of catrching a glimpse of a rare bird which seems to have made its home in the county.

Brockholes, the Lancashire Wildlife Trust reserve just off the M6 at Preston, has seen an increase in visitors, keen to spot the belted kingfisher after it was first spotted there in October. It is generally only found on inland lakes in the United States and Canada.

It is believed to be only the fourth time the bird has been spotted in the United Kingdom – the last sighting was in Staffordshire in 2005, but one was seen in Ireland over the past couple of years.

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The bird was initially seen by fisherman and birder George Shannon on the River Ribble near Samlesbury, before it flew onto the nature reserve where it has been spotted by three or four local birders.

Leonard Poxon took this picture of the belted kingfisher on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal at Withnell Fold, near Chorley. The bird is usually only found in the US and Canada and has caused excietement in the birding communityLeonard Poxon took this picture of the belted kingfisher on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal at Withnell Fold, near Chorley. The bird is usually only found in the US and Canada and has caused excietement in the birding community
Leonard Poxon took this picture of the belted kingfisher on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal at Withnell Fold, near Chorley. The bird is usually only found in the US and Canada and has caused excietement in the birding community

George said: “I was fishing close to Redscar Woods when I heard a very loud but unfamiliar rattling croaky call. I looked round and watched a slate blue and white bird flying upstream towards me about 10ft above the centre of the river. It proceeded to land in dead trees directly opposite where I was sitting.

“I got my binoculars on it and genuinely couldn’t believe the image I was seeing. I thought ‘it’s a belted kingfisher but it can’t possibly be a belted kingfisher’. My heart was pounding out of my chest.

“The bird sat partially obscured on a dead branch, directly opposite where I sat for about a minute, bobbing and twitching around before moving even closer to me and in plain sight. It was a stunning belted kingfisher. Jet black crest and very heavy sturdy looking black bill, the slate coloured uppers were so brightly contrasted against the white of the body.”