This kingfisher has been making a splash in Castletown.

Kingfishers are a rare sight in the island and you would be lucky to see anything more than a bright blue flash, accompanied by a high-pitch whistle, darting across a stream.

But this male bird has taken up throne in Castletown, where it has been often spotted at the inner harbour since before Christmas, providing excellent views from Victoria Road and Back Hope Street.

Kingfishers are resident in very small numbers in the island but are more usually found in the winter months, perched on a branch over a favoured watercourse such as the rivers Glass, Neb and Sulby, or on a rocky shore.