Great crested grebe
Best viewed in large format.
Sorry to all that like some variation to updates.......But I choose to stick with these Great Crested Grebes.
This is the first time apart from on the TV that I've seen the mating courtship between Grebes, and all the posturing and mimicking that goes on before mating.
It is complex...... but in my eyes only because of the mimicking, there seemed no pattern apart from one must follow exactly as the leader did. Apart from all the normal head shaking and bending and standing in the water. I noticed when one dived and came up with some muddy vegetation the other followed suit, they were about 15ft apart and then raced at each other to mimic the same standing and head dance but with the vegetation in their beaks. As I said to me it looks like it's a courtship of follow my leader.
Until the final moments then it's all about the female sending out a clear message that she's ready and it's time. First she stands high with her back arched and head down facing the water to give a clear message she's nearly ready, then she lays almost flat with her back to the male. Then it's all down to him...............I've uploaded a short clip of mating ( again sorry for the video Codec speeding it up slightly, makes it look to comic ) but you can see in the video he gets it just a little wrong the first time..........
But on his defence, a week ago this mound was almost on dry ground and now it's a wet muddy mess, it was looking like a makings of a nest.............they had fought hard against other pairs for this ground. Then started making what looked like a nest on almost dry ground..............
I'll try and keep my peace about this.........this mill pond is on a nature reserve but the water level is controlled by the Environment agency, so they the open and close the sluices gates when they have a need. So these grebes made their nest on a place that they thought was dry and then the E A come along and close the gates and flood the area........ The warden said they never ask, they just drain water or back it up when ever they like. This Is the sort of thing that happens when you let the Environment Agency be run by bean counters and not an environmentalist! ( Sorry! )
Great crested grebe
Best viewed in large format.
Sorry to all that like some variation to updates.......But I choose to stick with these Great Crested Grebes.
This is the first time apart from on the TV that I've seen the mating courtship between Grebes, and all the posturing and mimicking that goes on before mating.
It is complex...... but in my eyes only because of the mimicking, there seemed no pattern apart from one must follow exactly as the leader did. Apart from all the normal head shaking and bending and standing in the water. I noticed when one dived and came up with some muddy vegetation the other followed suit, they were about 15ft apart and then raced at each other to mimic the same standing and head dance but with the vegetation in their beaks. As I said to me it looks like it's a courtship of follow my leader.
Until the final moments then it's all about the female sending out a clear message that she's ready and it's time. First she stands high with her back arched and head down facing the water to give a clear message she's nearly ready, then she lays almost flat with her back to the male. Then it's all down to him...............I've uploaded a short clip of mating ( again sorry for the video Codec speeding it up slightly, makes it look to comic ) but you can see in the video he gets it just a little wrong the first time..........
But on his defence, a week ago this mound was almost on dry ground and now it's a wet muddy mess, it was looking like a makings of a nest.............they had fought hard against other pairs for this ground. Then started making what looked like a nest on almost dry ground..............
I'll try and keep my peace about this.........this mill pond is on a nature reserve but the water level is controlled by the Environment agency, so they the open and close the sluices gates when they have a need. So these grebes made their nest on a place that they thought was dry and then the E A come along and close the gates and flood the area........ The warden said they never ask, they just drain water or back it up when ever they like. This Is the sort of thing that happens when you let the Environment Agency be run by bean counters and not an environmentalist! ( Sorry! )