Grebes at Drift Reservoir

I went to Drift Reservoir this morning to check out reports of three grebe species being present at this time and i was not to be disappointed.

Three great crested grebes were present  and these two seemed to be paired off.

Two very similar Black-necked Grebes seemed happy to share the same water but all were quite some distance from the reservoir banks

Three delightful Little grebes were by contrast forever foraging right along the shallow margins

A mallard demonstrates the reason for the saying:  ' Like water off a ducks back '

Gadwall and Tufted Ducks were pairing off

And the Canada Goose was just one of a couple of hundred present on the day

A nice fly-bye from a local Buzzard finished off with a nice if distant but graceful landing on slim tree branches on the opposite side of the reservoir

Cattle Egret and Cormorants spooked at roost

I arrived at the Loe Pool roost around 2.30pm yesterday and was surprised that sixteen Cattle egret and twenty four Cormorants were already present,  I had gone early hoping for Cattle Egret group flight images low to the waterline but that seemed to unlikely now considering their presence so I settled down to work on seven Cormorants on a fallen tree on the west side of the pool and two pairs of camera shy Great Crested Grebe that seemed to be on an endless patrol.

The Roost

Cormorant Display

I hid among several close Pampas grasses for a hour to take just one burst of this camera shy grebe five metres from the water margin

At 3.30pm a fast moving noisy jet fighter flew over to be followed by two low flying helicopters and by 3.40pm  there was not a bird to be seen on Loe Pool.  Charming!

This negative incident did as it happens create a photo opportunity for me with all sixteen Cattle Egret in flight together but this time they were travelling north away from the roost

I waited until 4.30pm hoping to see the egrets return but it was not to be,  What a shame that this rare Cornish gathering of Cattle Egrets should be spooked off of this roost sight along with all other local birds by such aggressive helicopter low flight paths directly over the pool,