things that make you smile!

[mark brailsford 2]

I was walking along the river yarrow in Chorley yesterday (I keep hoping to see a few fish in there but no luck...YET!) and I spotted two kingfishers in 10 mins. It really gladdens my heart when I see wildlife like kingfishers, dippers, and voles back on once polluted waters and it makes me smile to think things are really picking up.
Have any of you noticed things changing for the better, ie, wildlife coming back?

Mark

[markg]

Kingfishers have been more affected by the warmer climate. Back in the 60,70s you would be lucky to see a kingfisher. Now I see them all the time when I am fishing. I once had one land on my rod and once saw about ten of them sitting in a tree on the throop fishery Dorset stour. which was very unusual; I think they were young birds.

[mark brailsford 2]

Originally Posted by markg

Kingfishers have been more affected by the warmer climate. Back in the 60,70s you would be lucky to see a kingfisher. Now I see them all the time when I am fishing. I once had one land on my rod and once saw about ten of them sitting in a tree on the throop fishery Dorset stour. which was very unusual; I think they were young birds.

It's nothing to do with the warmer climate, the reason you never saw them years ago is because most rivers had raw sewerage piped straight in to them!
The Victorians were very clever at building sewers and such but they were rubbish at treating the stuff that went through them!

Mark

[Lord Paul of Sheffield]

I've seen a few kingfishers of late - alos a lot of robins around

[itsfishingnotcatching]

Saw a kingfisher skimming the surface of the Arrow yesterday, wish it could have decimated the minnow population while it was there
Highlight of a morning session

[maceo]

I saw a red kite hovering over the fields while I was fishing last Thursday. A lovely sight.

I think he was looking at the ducks to see if he could pick out a bit of lunch.

[Lord Paul of Sheffield]

I saw a sparrow hawk whist fishing just before Christmas - swooped down past me and then roosted in a tree for 10 minutes - at time like that it makes a session even if you blank

[mark brailsford 2]

Originally Posted by itsfishingnotcatching

Saw a kingfisher skimming the surface of the Arrow yesterday, wish it could have decimated the minnow population while it was there
Highlight of a morning session

You are not having a dig at the anti otter lot there by any chance???

Mark

---------- Post added at 13:01 ---------- Previous post was at 12:58 ----------

Originally Posted by maceo

I saw a red kite hovering over the fields while I was fishing last Thursday. A lovely sight.

I think he was looking at the ducks to see if he could pick out a bit of lunch.

The ducks are ok mate, and so is the rest of the wildlife as kites only eat carrion. It took centuries before gamekeepers realised this and started to leave them alone, some even encourage them to come on to their land to ''clean up''

Mark

[bradp]

Always makes me smile when a robin lands on the end of the rod, until it does it buisness on the reels!!

[itsfishingnotcatching]

Originally Posted by mark brailsford 2

You are not having a dig at the anti otter lot there by any chance???

Mark, if it had got rid of the minnows I'd have took an otter with me

Here's an afterthought, is it only those of us who struggle to catch fish that have the time to notice the wildlife around us