Great Crested Grebes

Photographing Great Crested Grebes has been a bit of a challenge for me since I arrived last autumn. I've spent months trying to get decent shots of a couple that live on the river 5 minutes away but they are nowhere to be seen anytime I have my camera. When I spotted a nesting pair close to a busy towpath nearby at Windsor that I could keep an eye on I was happy to say the least moreso when a visit coincided with the chicks hatching. Unfortunately they were in a tough spot so light was a challenge.

[IMG]http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f24/Michael_Lech/U%20K/IMGP9438.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f24/Michael_Lech/U%20K/IMGP9453.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f24/Michael_Lech/U%20K/IMGP9459.jpg[/IMG]

Very nice shots, and some great cuteness going on there as well! I wonder whether the second and third could perhaps be lightened a little? They are cracking pics

Regards

Yep, agree with Mat about trying to brighten up #'s 2 and 3.

Good start to a story though. Keep going back and watch them progress. You may be lucky enough to capture them hitching a ride on mum when she's out swimming.

Was great to watch.

Unfortunately, I had to shot at 800 iso on a K10d so the 2nd and 3rd shots got very noisy went I lightened them up much more.

That last one is a pearler, all lined up behind the parent.

Really good, I like the last one with the fish the best.

Slightly envious you got that close! Good shots especially the 2rd and like mentioned, could do with a little brightening up.

Looks like we're going to have to go, looks like a great place!

Lovely shots - I too like the one with the fish. Agree about the brightening.

Cheers.....John

Very tough birds to get close to - and chicks as well. Well done !!

From the Windsor-Eton bridge walk upstream (on the Windsor side) past the hire boats, they're in the channel between one of the little islands and the towpath. Apparently they nested in the same spot last year.

Thanks for that Mike, was actually getting myself mixed up with all your other London Wetland shots, will try and get there this weekend.

Will put this on my list for next year when I will try and get their mating dance!

Grebes on the nest aren't hard to get close to. They are when they are on the water and usually move away close to the center of the lake.

I once saw some nesting in a park, under some bushes about 4m from the public footpath, a man was sitting in a director's type chair about 3m away from them. He seemed to be guarding them from "Vincent the Vandal" because he had a flask by his side. He must have been a park employee. They do have some kind of duck care home in the park. Every so often he took out a compact camera and took a few flash shots of the Grebes.