Saturday 5 March 2016

Grebes dancing on Linlithgow Loch

Every year at about this time, Crafty Green Boyfriend and I take a train to Linlithgow to see the great crested grebes doing their courtship dance. We saw two pairs of these grebes today and they were dancing, though slightly half-heartedly and they didn't do the full dance, which ends with them giving each other gifts of pond weed. Crafty Green Boyfriend did get these photos though:



It's always lovely to see this beautiful display, though perhaps we should visit a week later next year for a better chance of seeing the full dance!

There were lots of little grebes around today, though they were showing no signs of dancing

The light on the water was wonderful today and made for some lovely effects in some of out photos, like this one of a coot


The light also brought out the irridescence in this male tufted duck's head

I was very impressed by this alder tree

its catkins are at their best at the moment, beautifully patterned


it's always nice to see the male catkins and female cones growing on the same tree too (many tree species have separate male and female trees)

I liked the light again in this photo of the reeds

and this photo shows the black headed gulls at all different stages of getting their summer plumage back! The gull with brown markings in the wings is a youngster.

(Thanks Crafty Green Boyfriend for the photos of the grebes and the tufted duck)








7 comments:

Simon Douglas Thompson said...

Little grebes are like little rubber ducks, bobbing around, crazily bouyant.

Must keep an eye out for dancing grebes on local waters now.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

It must be wonderful to see the grebes courtship dance. They are such an interesting bird. I've seen them with babies on their back .. What a thrill that is, now I would love to see the beginnings nag of that cycle.

Looks like a beautiful Spring in your area!

sage said...

A train trip to do a little peeping on waterfowl's sex habits... Sounds like something I'd do! Good photos.

Bill said...

male and female catkins
on the same tree . . .
grebes dancing

Looks and sounds like a lovely day.

RG said...

Phun Photos!

eileeninmd said...

Hello, I have never seen the Grebe's dance. That is cool! Great collection of photos! Happy Sunday, enjoy your new week!

Lowcarb team member said...

What a lovely selection of photo's you've shared.
I did like the way the light featured in the photo with the reeds, and aren't those catkins lovely ...

As it's Monday already! I hope this new week is a good one for you.

All the best Jan