I think I have taken more images of Great Crested Grebes over the years than any other bird. Now that I am able to get about more I have been able to visit locations where I have previously enjoyed looking at and photographing grebes.
It is that time of the year when they perform their elaborate courtship and mating rituals. I visited a location not far from home where there had been recent activity from the grebes. The weather although cold was ideal for photography with brilliant spring sunshine to light up the activity.
The grebes were nest building and mating close to a quiet country lane. It was possible to be concealed from the grebes and they went about their business without being disturbed.
Shown below are a sequence of images showing the grebes mating, nest building and I was pleased to see on my last visit that one egg had been laid.
I will of course be visiting on a regular basis and hopefully more eggs will be laid and eventually the baby grebes will be seen out and about riding on their mother’s back and being fed by their father.
So if all goes well I will be able to bring you more images of these delightful birds.
Brian Rafferty
I am based in Preston. Lancashire. This central location enables me to travel easily to a wide variety of habitats in the North of England. I tend these days not to travel very far as I find that there is plenty to see not very far from home. On my own doorstep are a wonderful variety of habitats - natural woodlands, open fells and hill country, unspoilt river valleys and I have easy access to the delights of the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks. As you will see from my bird images much time is spent at the wonderful coastal sites forming part of Morecambe Bay and the Ribble Estuary e.g. Marshside and Leighton Moss. In recent years Digital Photography has taken over from Video and as time has moved on I have acquired more and more equipment - as you do!!
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