Was It Worth It !

Slavonian Grebe - 24.03.2021

Over the last few weeks I've noted one or two Slavonian Grebes around the area but to get reasonable images they really need to be located on a relatively small lake very much like the last one at Brickfield Lake in Rhyl North Wales. One such location that got my attention having seen images was a small lake in Kirk Hallam, a quick check on Google Maps confirmed it was the ideal location so a trip was planned over to the dark side !

Slavonian Grebe's can be describes certainly in the UK as a very rare breeder with only an estimated breeding population of around 20 pairs found in the very north of Scotland and the Shetland Islands so the possibility of images of a Slavonian Grebe on passage back to their breeding ground is a rare opportunity. 

On arrival I'm surprised to find the small lake is located quite close to a residential housing estate popular with walkers benefiting from a path that circumnavigates close to the lake, but not so much disruption to dissuade the grebe that's been in the area for quite a few weeks.

Before I commit to unloading the gear a decide to do a quick rece. Having walked to the far side scanning there's no sign of the grebe and I'm beginning to reconcile myself it may have moved on, then on the way back on the other side of the lake I locate the grebe, it's right under the bank diving and fishing along the edge, initially having scanned the lake it's there all the while right under my nose !

Over the next hour or so I watch and follow the grebe as it's circulates the lake at times giving some very close encounters, far closer than I ever imaged possible occasionally surfacing with a small fish....I missed that shot ! Now around midday conditions have changed, the sun's out, great for sunbathing but not for photography, it's become busy with walkers enjoying the great weather signalling the grebe to seek a quieter location eventually tucking it's head under a wing for the remainder of my visit.

The morning has been a great session the afternoon not so much, the morning providing the only images worth keeping. I've seen two memorable birds in the last few weeks and this encounter will go down as one of the best.

Slavonian Grebe

Day Out To The Seaside

Brickfield Pond Nature Reserve, Rhyl - 22.11.18

Over the last couple of days there's been a number of Slavonian Grebes appearing in locations across the North of England and North Wales with one such bird appearing not so far away on a lake in Rhyl. Checking Google maps I try to establish the size of the lake and whether it was possible to get some reasonably close images, the worse case scenario always being a large lake with the bird sat in the middle looking like an unrecognisable dot in the distance. With the indicators all looking positive and with a weather forecast of some reasonable light a trip was organised for the following day. It's always emotional when I cross the border back into Wales, the land of my fathers...Cymru am Byth !

Slavonian Grebe, a scarce bird in the UK with an estimated 30 pairs breeding in Scotland (RSPB) albeit UK numbers increase in winter to over 1,000 individuals with arrivals from Iceland and Scandinavia for the UK's less harsh winter. Not to be confused with the Black Necked Grebe in winter plumage the Slavonian's stand out feature being its flat head being.

As I set off on the hour's drive it's cloudy only soon to become foggy the further west I travel thinking this might turn into an abortive trip. Now nearing the Welsh boarder all my concerns disappear as it's all blue sky and sunshine....what a great day.

Arriving at the Brickfield Nature Reserve carpark it's turned into a great day and I'm keen to see what the day has to offer. Already there are maybe fifteen people on site viewing the grebe on the small reserve lake but the sun angle is low and shooting directly into the light, there's no use relocating to the other side as the lake as the grebe is to far away, nothing is ever straight forward.

Over the next three hours it's a case of waiting for the opportunity where the grebe to moves close enough and into a position for the optimum sun angle, not the best of options, but at least the shots I think are acceptable.

Happy I've made the best of the conditions with a great day out, it's time to call time.

Slavonian Grebe