Psilos Bird Journal
Sunday August 19th 2007
     
"Cat and mouse" page 2
 
     
So there I was crawling over the sodden fertilised grass actually feeling quite thankful that the poor weather where keeping people away, and the juveniles looked on with only mild curiosity. I was fifteen feet from the juveniles and hugely enjoying their company when the adults returned and all hell broke lose! Panic striken at seeing me so close to their offspring they immediatly went into attack mode. The offspring flew straight back to the raft and I was viciously divebombed. My cover was well and truely blown.
     

     
Adult terns are a worthy adversary for any man or beast that threatenes their youngsters and I was not the only thing to be attacked that day. A juvenile Lesser black backed gull flew too close to the raft and the force of all the four remaining adults was called in to action. However the gull did not leave without a fight. For several minutes I watched the birds do battle. The terns drove the gull into the water several times (photo below) with a very undignified dunking but the gull battled on and they flew round and round. Finally the tenacity of the terns proved too much for the gull who was not agile or quick enough to attack back but I think his bravery had to be commended too.


     
Whilst all this was taking place I was also keeping my eye on another juvenile that lived on the lodge. There are three pairs of Great crested grebes on the water and they had done very well this year. Several of the youngsters had already fledged and gone but two remain. One each from seperate pairs and it was to the older who seemed to be making a break for freedom that my attention finally turned.

This grebe was trying out his wings. Suddenly he would leap from the water and gathering speed would take off over water. For birds who are clumsy on land it is amazing how agile they are running on top of the water. He never did get airbourne and I dont know if that was his purpose but it certainly wont be long before he is gone. For now though he is still being fed by his parents so I think I will be seeing him around for a little while yet.

 

So in the end I went home filthy and wet but there is nothing too unusual in that. The light was poor but I had seen some pretty amazing things and even I wasnt to know that the best was yet to come...