A Brief Royal Experience and Woody

A lovely bright day today and a little warmer than of late.   I drove first to Croxall Lakes, where the birdlife was a little quiet, and then went three miles down the road to Elford.  
Whilst sitting on a bench in the boathouse hide watching the birds on and around the feeders there was suddenly a big splash just to my left.  Unknown to me the kingfisher must have been perched on the roof of the boathouse and had caught a big fish in the river entrance to the building.  On hearing the splash I turned to see what had happened just as the kingfisher plus fish emerged and landed on the walkway parapet inside the boathouse and just five feet away from me.  The kingfisher was so involved with dealing with the fish, bashing it against the wooden rails that for a few moments it did not realise that I was there.  I remained completely still and watched - my camera was pointing the other way and had the 500mm lens on which would not focus that close anyway!  After a couple of swipes the kingfisher realised that I was there and flew off with his catch.
As a photographic consolation prize I was then able to watch and photograph an extended visit by the Great Spotted Woodpecker.