The perfect place to raise young is a precious thing and certainly worth defending. For many birds that means a suitable nest site; a good supply of food; few predators and no rivals.

So this afternoon at Old Moor, when two pairs of great crested grebe squared up to each other on Wath Ings, things got heated very quickly.

Both pairs faced each other and positioned themselves low in the water but with crests, wings and body feathers raised to appear as large and menacing as possible. A chorus of barked and gargled calls followed as each pair tried to out-shout the other.

‘Grebes squaring up’ from Ian Morris

Then, when neither pair backed down, combatants lunged at one another and used those dagger-like bills as weapons in an explosion of territorial anger.

I’ll spare you the gory details but this was a far cry from their romantic portrayal as early spring dancers. This was a battle for the thing that matters most at this time of year – a place to breed.

The first blows

In the end, with the male battered and defeated, one pair of grebes retreated to the safety of the far shores of the marsh. For them, a promising territory was lost; for the other pair it was won. And for the people lucky enough to see it all, it was an enlightening glimpse into the lives of these fascinating birds.

One of the two avocet on the Wader Scrape today

At Broomhill Flash this morning there were: two mute swan, one great crested grebe, one shelduck, eight pochard, one herring gull, two lesser black-backed gull, one oystercatcher and two common tern.

Nearby at Wombwell Ings the list was: five mute swan, one shelduck, two redshank, one dunlin, a sedge warbler, one blackcap, a great crested grebe and a single cormorant.

At Bolton Ings, John Seeviour reported: one mute swan, four great crested grebe, eight mallard (and twelve young), ten gadwall, eighteen tufted duck, four pochard, one lesser black-backed gull, one common gull, three chiffchaff, two willow warbler, four blackcap, three whitethroat, a sedge warbler and two hedgehog. Yes, I was a bit surprised by that last one. Thanks John.

The Early Birders at Old Moor set us up for the day by reporting: one bittern, two avocet, one common sandpiper, two Mediterranean gull and two common tern.

Little ringed plover today from Ian Morris

On Old Moor’s Mere today there were: two plus bittern, sand martin, two Mediterranean gull and five lesser black-backed gull. Nearby, on Green Lane were: lesser whitethroat, willow warbler, blackcap and both garden and reed warblers.

Watchers on the Wader Scrape could find: two avocet, one common sandpiper, one sanderling, two redshank, two common tern, one little ringed plover, one shelduck and three oystercatcher.

Sanderling and black-headed gull from Ian Morris. Thanks Ian.

And finally, back to Wath Ings where, as well as four great crested grebe, visitors saw: one bittern, three shelduck, one sedge warbler and three cormorant. With these were mute swan, gadwall, pochard, shoveler and tufted duck.

I’ll sign off tonight with one last picture from Ian. This one shows the two common tern on the Wader Scrape.

Until next time.