The RSPB Community
Site
Search
Main Website
|
Shop
Sign in/Register
User
Site
Search
User
Wildlife
Places to visit
Get involved
Our work
Chat
About
Nature On Your Doorstep
Join & Donate
More
Cancel
Places to visit
Aire Valley - Fairburn Ings and St Aidan's
Fairburn Ings
January 19th 2016 earliest grebe dance?
Fairburn Ings
Blog
Photos & Videos
Members
More
Cancel
New
Aire Valley - Fairburn Ings and St Aidan's requires membership for participation - click to join
Replies
0 replies
Subscribers
234 subscribers
Views
1367 views
Users
0 members are here
great crested grebe dance courtship kingfisher
Options
Share
More
Cancel
Latest posts
The Beauty of Butterflies In Lockdown
over 4 years ago
Why We Volunteer At RSPB Fairburn Ings Ollie & Pete photos by Pete Carr
over 4 years ago
Update to reserve closures in the Aire valley
over 4 years ago
Nature and Lockdown for Me words and pictures by Sarah Hoyle
over 4 years ago
Dave's diary 6th May 9th May
over 4 years ago
Home birding in Lock down
over 4 years ago
Learning about wildflowers in lockdown words and pictures by Mel Rowell
over 4 years ago
Dave’s diary 2nd May
over 4 years ago
Garden birdwatching using a trail camera during lockdown by Charlie Ward
over 4 years ago
Camera trapping garden wildlife during lockdown by Charlie Ward
over 4 years ago
January 19th 2016 earliest grebe dance?
redwolf
20/01/2016 00:56
It was one of those days when you see more people than birds at Fairburn. At Charlie's many of the birds still haven't returned after being displaced by the huge floods today there was a grey heron and single make goosandar on the island in front of the hide but suddenly there was a shrill "peep peep" and a blur of metallic blue as the kingfisher flitted his way right across the front of the hide. They remind me of bumble bees the way they fly with such rapid wing beats. The real treat though occurred after 20 minutes or so of nothing happening of note. The resident pair of great crested grebes are changing into their breeding plumage and even though its January 19th these two thrilled me with the famous courtship display -heads turning and bobbing in sequence then they dived only for the male to reappear with weed in his bill and the bobbing and turning began all over again till the weed had been shaken away.Would they do the famous dance over the water surface?? Well sadly no -not today anyhow but then there is still plenty of time for me to drop lucky on that one, Fingers crossed!