Fish Lunch

A very hungry Great Crested Grebe finally rocked up for a late lunch - such a fun little bird to watch diving for fish.

Elegant and very ornate as an adult they were hunted for their feathers in the nineteenth century and numbers dwindled. Now they are on the Green conservation status which shows they are not as rare as they used to be.

They have lobed toes and can't walk very well on land and the underside of the feathers are at right angles to the skin so they can adjust their buoyancy by pressing the feathers against their body. Such a great diver - the Tom Daley of the Severn! I couldn't believe how long he stayed underwater! I kept trying to track the water ripples and the odd bubble - he kept popping up in the most unexpected places! The local mallards were quite spooked when he swam underneath them and there were squawks of consternation from time to time. You couldn't help but smile!