Everyone's a Winner

Getting up early as I'd a busy day I shot down to the lake however the light wasn't great so went back late afternoon when the sun had moved round under the cloud. The nest was on an island made of a pile of twigs and reeds in the water much more in evidence and easier to photograph at this time of day. 

The chicks were born on 7th April so are now 2 weeks old. So very cute - 3 little black and white striped humbugs and the parents were just doting on them. They change places on the nest every 3 or so hours with one protecting the chicks from the masses of gulls and even the odd cormorant whilst keeping them snug in the feathers on their back whilst the other parent foraged for fish, algae and weed. So amusing to watch as dad brought back some humongous perch and it took ages for them to actually swallow the large ones after being presented with them time after time. The chicks would give it a go again and again but sometimes it just took forever. Occasionally dad would actually realise it was never going to happen and have the fish himself. 

Hoorah I've had my 2nd covid jab today, been to the hairdressers, worked out at the gym plus got 1052 photos under my belt (only because I had to do the whole exercise twice).

The happiest part of my day was leaving the  lake and bumping into a lady who feeds a robin. She had a small pot of live mealworms and on talking asked me if I'd like to have a go.  Honestly it was amazing. The robin knew I wasn't her but eventually came in, hovered near my face and then sat on my hand. He took 4 mealworms off for his brood in the shrubbery and I was smiling like an idiot. The only time I've ever done this before was in Debbies garden in New Jersey when she let me feed the hummers there by hand. Deb you would have loved this!