Kingfishers filmed courting at Washington Wetland Centre

Kingfishers have been caught courting and breeding on camera at a nature reserve.

The elusive birds were filmed at WWT Washington Wetland Centre.

Reserve warden Andrew Diamond said it was the first time it could be proven kingfishers were breeding on the reserve.

He said the motion cameras, which have been set up since February, offered a "unique insight into the family's waterside world".

Mr Diamond set up the cameras after hearing the adults calling to one another.

He said he felt "blessed" to have finally captured evidence of kingfisher breeding activity, including the scraping out of the nest burrow, the male courting the female and providing for her as she incubated their eggs, as well as the fledging event itself.

He said the birds were most commonly seen while feeding during autumn and winter, but became "increasingly difficult to see" in the spring when they begin breeding.

"It was thought that they were going to some place off site to breed, although there was always a suspicion that they could be breeding here," Mr Diamond said, adding: "Now I know for sure."

Mr Diamond said the birds went through "an elaborate courtship ritual" which culminated in the male providing the female with his "prize catch of the day".

The eggs were incubated for about 20 days, with the parents then having to feed the chicks fish up to six times an hour.

The Washington pair produced two chicks which fledged.

Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].