Hours Spent with Kingfisher and Great crested Grebes

It seems I have become slightly obsessed with Great crested Grebes, I just can’t stop taking photos of them. I’m not sure if it is just because there is a pair in such a great location that the light makes them stand out and they are close enough to always grab great shots or if it is because they are such interesting little birds (especially at this time of year) but yet again there are a large number of photos in this posting.

Hours Spent with Kingfisher and Great-crested Grebes

Today it wasn’t just lone grebe photos that I was taking. I was privileged enough to witness not only the dancing head movements, but also weed passing, and their dance up on their tales. As well as watching them construct their nest and mate. It was an honour to see such displays. In fact I was enjoying the display so much, that I missed the photo op of the dance and weed pass!

But here are a few shots of the pair in action (literally in one case!).

I would like to point out, I did not disturb the birds they are happy with people presence, the lake is often full of people fishing and I was sat on one of their platforms to take these shots. And these solo shots that follow.

Rear of Great-crested Grebe – Lodge Lake, Milton Keynes

Great-crested Grebe (odd angle) – Lodge Lake, Milton Keynes

Golden waters behind Great-crested Grebe – Lodge Lake, Milton Keynes

Shaking off the water Great-crested Grebe-  Lodge Lake, Milton Keynes

Great-crested Grebe – Lodge Lake, Milton Keynes

Moving on from Grebes

While watching the grebes I also had the opportunity to photograph a couple of other birds a nicely posed Wood Pigeon and a Eurasian Coot.

Colourful looking Wood Pigeon – Lodge Lake, Milton Keynes

Reflected Eurasian Coot – Lodge Lake, Milton Keynes

Swimming Eurasian Coot – Lodge Lake, Milton Keynes

After spending quite a while with the great-crested grebes (and a fair bit with a stunning summer plumage Little Grebe that remained hidden in the reeds the whole time), I was in a dilemma did I carry on through the patch or head home (I worked a night shift last night and the cloud was building) but I always worry if I go home I will miss the big one! So I carried on.

Heading Down Stream

As always I checked out the Buzzard field (and sure enough there was one there, still no pheasant!), I’m hoping one day I will get a decent photo of this Buzzard but alas today was not the day, I did manage a quick photo of a Magpie in flight and a Green Woodpecker (poor photo but it is just to rub it in to my friend and rival on the patch Simon).

Green Woodpecker – Loughton Valley Park, Milton Keynes

Magpie in Flight- Loughton Valley Park, Milton Keynes

Kingfisher

I quickly continued on, and after brief chat with an old chap asking me all about the birds, I spotted a Kingfisher flit off down the river (it always happens when you are talking!), I decided to follow and see if I could find him, when I discovered not one but 3 Kingfisher squabbling deep in the bushes, they continued their chase quite away down the river remaining vocal the entire way, but were quite tricky to photograph, in fact I took one good shot of a lone male in the bushes.

Male (I think) Common Kingfisher, Loughton Valley Park, Milton Keynes

Two female Common Kingfisher – Loughton Valley Park, Milton Keynes

Grey Heron – Loughton Valley Park, Milton Keynes

Canada Goose – Lodge Lake, Milton Keynes