Hitching a ride.
Still being unable to get out I am continuing to delve into my archive. This time though I only go back a couple of years to a visit to the local reserve at St Aidans. Alas the photo was taken through some reeds which are just visible in the image.
The subjects are a pair of little humbugs seen hitching a ride on a parents back. After the chicks have hatched black-necked grebes will desert the nest and the chicks live on the parents backs for about 4 days. After about 10 days the parents will split the chicks up with each parent taking care of half of the brood. They are independent after another 10 days and fledge in about 3 weeks.
The latest news from the reserve is that 18 were spotted on 30th March. Fingers crossed we will be treated to a repeat of such sights in the near future.
Hitching a ride.
Still being unable to get out I am continuing to delve into my archive. This time though I only go back a couple of years to a visit to the local reserve at St Aidans. Alas the photo was taken through some reeds which are just visible in the image.
The subjects are a pair of little humbugs seen hitching a ride on a parents back. After the chicks have hatched black-necked grebes will desert the nest and the chicks live on the parents backs for about 4 days. After about 10 days the parents will split the chicks up with each parent taking care of half of the brood. They are independent after another 10 days and fledge in about 3 weeks.
The latest news from the reserve is that 18 were spotted on 30th March. Fingers crossed we will be treated to a repeat of such sights in the near future.