Three generations
One of the first places I saw kingfishers regularly was the wood and rope bridge on Obidos Lagoon. The bridge affords a fabulous view of the lagoon, looking out to Foz and the sea beyond. Sitting, watching the sun come up is one of the great joys of the area. There is always something to see - flamingos snuffling close to the bridge, waders on the shore, egrets and herons chasing each other off prime fishing spots. It was here I first had a regular bird that I thought of as ‘my kingfisher’. He would perch on the ropes when there were no the fishermen or cyclists, and he too would watch the sun rise.
‘Kingy’. Obidos Lagoon, Portugal. December 2016
He became ‘Kingy’. That time there were a lot of kingfishers around the lagoon, perhaps that made the bridge prime territory to defend, but Kingy was regular as clockwork. Each morning began with coffee and Kingy.
But Kingy’s rule over the bridge came to an end after a couple of years, and Queeny took over the realm. She too was regular once she had got used to the camera. Occasionally there would be a brief visit by a male bird but Queeny would see him off before he ever had time to settle.
Princess. Obidos Lagoon, Portugal. November 2021
Then after the breeding season this year there is a new young female who has chosen to make the bridge her place. Still a young bird, I imagine she is the offspring of Queeny. And so it feels like she is the third generation of kingfishers I have watched on this spot, coffee in hand, with the sun rising. It is truly my favourite place to start the day, made all the more magical by the succession of kingfishers that use the bridge each day.