A Black-necked Grebe at Hanningfield Reservoir

31st October 2021

A Black-necked Grebe had been reported at Hanningfield Resevoir for over two weeks now but it wasn't too clear just how distant it was. The reports suggested it was quite close in at times but I had not seen any photos on Twitter which was strange. So the only way to find out was to go and have a look.

I arrived at the causeway and started to scan the waters in between the flocks of ducks and geese and it didn't look too good. I moved further along the causeway and continued to scan but nowhere could I see the distinctive profile of a Black-necked Grebe. Then just as I was started to believe that the grebe was distant after all, I spotted it at the far end of the causeway.

And although I do have problems with my short-term memory, my long-term memory is fortunately still quite good. I hadn't been to Hanningfield for at least 20 years but seemed to remember that the fence along the causeway was quite high so took the precaution of taking a stool. Just as well I did because the green chain-link fence is about six feet tall, but by standing on the stool I was able to get clear the fence and rest the camera on the straining wires at the top. And what a beauty the grebe turned out to be.

And of course even Black-necked Grebes get an itch.

This is quite common behaviour amongst grebes. They stand up in the water and then drop down and fluff themselves up. I suspect they do it to dry out their feathers.

The Black-necked Grebe wasn't trying to compete with the Great Crested Grebes and the ridiculous size of fish that they sometimes catch, seemingly quite content with what appear to be 10-spine Sticklebacks.

But the best thing of all.............what a poser!!!!