My Diary
The Summer suited Slavs at Dungeness
16/04/10
Slavonian Grebe, looking dapper in its Summer plumage.
After a telephone conversation with Mike Gould, I picked him up at 10 o clock this morning, and we drove down to the RSPB reserve at Dungeness, to try and get some photos of the Slavonian Grebes that were present on the new diggings pit. A very inhospitable North Easterly wind met us as we arrived, and walking down to the new diggings where the Grebes were favouring, we nearly changed our minds, the wind being enough of a nuisance to question whether we were wasting our time or not. Arriving at the pit, we were immediately confronted with a Slavonian Grebe, where Mike and I was able to get some photos, and the Grebe was then joined by its mate, I presume a pair, although apart from one Grebe being slightly larger than the other, and also a shade advanced in its Summer coat, they looked alike. I do not know if there are any plumage differences between the Male and Female, and as good as the Collins guide is, it does not say either. With the pair of them coming to within 20 feet of the bank, and completely ignoring us standing there with cameras, we were able to click away as we pleased, and as it was the first time I have seen a Slav Grebe in its breeding attire, I made sure I had a large number of photos to take home with me. After 30 minutes, we remembered how uncomfortable the wind was, (its funny how you forget when there is a decent bird 20 foot in front of you posing for your camera) and decided to beat a hasty retreat back to the car, and home. The whole trip only lasted 3 hours from door to door, with photographs of our intended quarry in the bag, If only it was that easy all of the time. Nothing else seen, not that it was not there, we just never looked, the wind stopping any decent migration arrivals reaching our shores. It must swing round sooner or later.