What bird did I just see?

[Johnnytheboy]

From the deck of a ferry moored in Poole Harbour, I just caught a glimpse of a bird flying low and fast over the water next to the ship.

It was medium sized (blackbird/starling size) but bright turquoise blue.

Any ideas?

[haggishunter]

All I can think of is a king fisher. You only usually get a fleeting glance of one.

al

[knotweed]

Yep sounds like a kingfisher.

[Johnnytheboy]

I thought they were tiny! But yes, it was definitely the right colour.

[otolith]

Bit smaller than a blackbird or starling, but not tiny. Not much else it could be, they're pretty unmistakable.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Johnnytheboy said:

I thought they were tiny!

A kookaburra is a kingfisher, definitely not tiny. Not many around Poole Harbour though.

[Mobile Chicane]

Escaped parrot?

There's no native bird which fits the bill. Kingfishers are tiny.

[Siscar]

Mobile Chicane said:

Escaped parrot?

There's no native bird which fits the bill. Kingfishers are tiny.

In this country they are, we only have the common kingfisher which is about the size of a sparrow. Elsewhere they can be bigger, up to about 18 inches, but here they aren't.

[kVA]

Kingfisher is about the size of a sparrow and, with quite short wings, looks even smaller...

Also not normally found anywhere near salt-water, but I guess a harbour will be close to a river, so not impossible?

If it was Dover Harbour, it would of course be a 'Bluebird'

I'll have a think, but an escape / lost in migration, sounds most likely to me

[Johnnytheboy]

Someone told me one is often seen at a yacht club in Sandbanks, so plausible.

[Siscar]

Johnnytheboy said:

Someone told me one is often seen at a yacht club in Sandbanks, so plausible.

But not if it was the size of a starling.

[kVA]

How bright blue / turquoise was it?

Could it be a Merlin?

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/m/m...

[digger the goat]

Kingfisher DO frequent salt water areas.
I lived in Jersey for many years and often saw them diving for whitebait and suchlike.

[otolith]

kVA said:

Kingfisher is about the size of a sparrow and, with quite short wings, looks even smaller...

Also not normally found anywhere near salt-water, but I guess a harbour will be close to a river, so not impossible?

They are present in Poole Harbour, according to this;

http://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/poole-harbour...

[Siscar]

otolith said:

They are present in Poole Harbour, according to this;

http://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/poole-harbour...

In the freshwater bits....

[otolith]

Siscar said:

otolith said:

They are present in Poole Harbour, according to this;

http://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/poole-harbour...

In the freshwater bits....

Breeds in the freshwater bits. I should think much of the area is brackish, depending on the tide.