A stroll around Thornton Reservoir in late February gave us a delightful display of the courtship rituals of Great Crested Grebes. This is an elegant waterbird that was once driven almost to extinction in the UK by people hunting them for their ornate head plumes, seen clearly in the male below. They eat fish which they catch by chasing them underwater, aided by their powerful feet placed well back on the body. The two grebes here initially called across the reservoir and then displayed to each other with a succession of head-bobbing, bill-dipping and preening. This continued for several minutes until they approached the climax of their dance.
After a while, both birds dived to the bottom of the reservoir and each came up with a strand of water weed in their bills. As they approached each other at speed, they frantically paddled until they were upright, chest to chest, flicking their heads from side to side. This display, which lasted for several seconds, is known as the ‘weed dance’ or ‘penguin dance’. At this stage, most of the body was lifted out of the water, rather like the efforts of synchronised swimmers. They then subsided back to the normal swimming position and continued to flick the weed from side to side. The weed was then cast aside and the grebes resumed their head bobs and shakes, displaying their crests and calling to one another. They then proceeded to nearby rushes for a little privacy.
Thornton is also home to large numbers of Little Grebes. Although much smaller, the Little Grebes rival their larger cousins when in their breeding plumage, with a bright chestnut throat and cheeks, and a white gape patch at the base of the bill. They eat fish as well, but also vary their diet with insects and larvae. The other species of grebe found in the UK (Black-necked, Slavonian, Red-necked and Pied-billed) are rarely seen in Leicestershire, with Rutland Water the most likely place to find them.
Although I’ve seen thousands of Great Crested Grebes, this is the first time I’ve ever witnessed the complete courtship ritual. It just goes to show that however unpromising the weather might seem there is always the chance of seeing some spectacular behaviour. Springtime will often leave animals distracted as they concentrate on mating displays and rituals, and as the weather warms up over the next month or two, I’m sure we will get lots of opportunities to see and hear our birds as they seek a partner.
A stroll around Thornton Reservoir in late February gave us a delightful display of the courtship rituals of Great Crested Grebes. This is an elegant waterbird that was once driven almost to extinction in the UK by people hunting them for their ornate head plumes, seen clearly in the male below. They eat fish which they catch by chasing them underwater, aided by their powerful feet placed well back on the body. The two grebes here initially called across the reservoir and then displayed to each other with a succession of head-bobbing, bill-dipping and preening. This continued for several minutes until they approached the climax of their dance.
After a while, both birds dived to the bottom of the reservoir and each came up with a strand of water weed in their bills. As they approached each other at speed, they frantically paddled until they were upright, chest to chest, flicking their heads from side to side. This display, which lasted for several seconds, is known as the ‘weed dance’ or ‘penguin dance’. At this stage, most of the body was lifted out of the water, rather like the efforts of synchronised swimmers. They then subsided back to the normal swimming position and continued to flick the weed from side to side. The weed was then cast aside and the grebes resumed their head bobs and shakes, displaying their crests and calling to one another. They then proceeded to nearby rushes for a little privacy.
Thornton is also home to large numbers of Little Grebes. Although much smaller, the Little Grebes rival their larger cousins when in their breeding plumage, with a bright chestnut throat and cheeks, and a white gape patch at the base of the bill. They eat fish as well, but also vary their diet with insects and larvae. The other species of grebe found in the UK (Black-necked, Slavonian, Red-necked and Pied-billed) are rarely seen in Leicestershire, with Rutland Water the most likely place to find them.
Although I’ve seen thousands of Great Crested Grebes, this is the first time I’ve ever witnessed the complete courtship ritual. It just goes to show that however unpromising the weather might seem there is always the chance of seeing some spectacular behaviour. Springtime will often leave animals distracted as they concentrate on mating displays and rituals, and as the weather warms up over the next month or two, I’m sure we will get lots of opportunities to see and hear our birds as they seek a partner.