Grebe, Grebe, Grebe

All the images in this blog were taken on two consecutive days at Langford Lakes, Steeple Langford,  Wiltshire.  This idyllic village is about 30 minutes from here.  All are of Great Crested Grebe except two.  Let's deal with those first.

Tufted Duck  ♀

Black-headed Gull

Now the great Crested Grebe ...

Lonesome

Order of the Bath (Tria juncta in uno)

Got one

Now to sort it

This is the way to do it

Not quite

Another rinse perhaps

Try again

Not doing very well, are you?

Permission to come aboard?

Alongside

Stern ramp down.  Move up kid.

Bit of a struggle

Not stopping

One to go

There's always one

Come on then

Off again (not as easy as it was)

This could go on all day

There seems less room these days

Off we go again

2 on the lower deck; 1 on top

Oops!  It just couldn't last

Let's discuss this

Moment of peace

Here they come again

You're getting a bit big for this

An extra oar?

Milvus milvus - A feast

This week's blog is devoted to a single species.  The Red Kite (milvus milvus). 

This bird came close to extinction in the UK, but a successful nurturing and reintroduction programme has brought this magnificent creature back to our skies.  Gigrin Farm at Rhyader in Powys, mid-Wales, is a farm where a feeding programme was started some years ago on the initiative of the family farming there.  Within the last decade, the RSPB persuaded the farm to develop a centre open to the public.  Red Kite are now fed daily at 1400h UTC and visitors are catered for.  The farm is also a rehabilitation centre.

The wing-span of a Red Kite is 140-165cm.

The site http://gigrin.co.uk contains all the relevant information.


Now feast your eyes!

Pity about the wing-clips used for ID.

In-flight catering

I'd have preferred a better image, but I did catch this one eating on the wing.

Evasive action