Nature Watch, with Ron Freethy

WAY back in the 1960s the kingfisher was facing extinction following years of pollution and especially as a result of a series of very cold winters.

Kingfishers certainly earn their name but you can't catch fish in rivers which are frozen.

During the 1990s there weren't many really hard winters and pollution decreased dramatically during this period.

In the last few weeks I have seen kingfishers on the River Irwell near Bacup, along the canal at Salterforth and near Barden Mill, and on the River Darwen.

I would be interested to hear from readers who have seen kingfishers in East Lancashire over the last four years.

I am then going to construct a map to show where kingfishers have been seen and also their probable breeding sites.

It is wonderful to have this colourful species back in strength.

Kingfishers breed in holes which they bore into the riverbank using their bills.

The nest inside the tunnel is made of old fish bones and nowhere smells as bad as the nest of the kingfisher.