Great Crested Grebes - at last some young ones!

I've been missing from the blog scene for over a week it seems - had various family commitments and the camera has been gathering dust and I've been getting very (camera) twitchy. So I was delighted when I received a heads-up from Tim about the four youngsters that are there now.

Given the failure rate of the broods of Great Crested Grebes at Painshill Park, it's amazing that there are now 4 youngsters of one of the two pairs that are there. The other pair had their two predated and haven't really got it together again to produce any more.

I was meant to be food shopping but as soon as I got the text from Tim I headed over - and was well rewarded.

The water reflections and stipeyness of the little ones made taking pictures quite a challenge but I did manage a few; albeit some of them just record pics.

I sat on the bank and watched them for well over an hour. Mum and the four siblings stayed more-or-less in the same spot and during all this time, Dad was frantically fishing and feeding the young.

Just a few pics..

(they look marginally better when the pictures are enlarged ;) )

This fish was so big I didn't think the youngster was going to manage it but... it did!

Quite a few dragons about but this Black-tailed Skimmer landed briefly for a photo call.

As we advance through the summer, some of the flowers are not going to seed but looking very pretty as they do.

And just a few flutters around... not that many. It was warm with a fairly cool breeze today and at one time, just sitting still, I was beginning to feel quite cool.

A Bees was kept company by a hover fly and other flying wee beasties.... (pity I hadn't really noticed them until I processed the picture!!)


Well tomorrow will probably bring more domesticity but hopefully I will get out and about somewhere wilder by mid-week!!