Psilos Bird Journal
Friday September 26th 2008
     
Wishes
 
Often in bird photography we watch things over a series of days/weeks or even months in the hope that what we wish will happen, does happen. Nothing is guarenteed and we do get disappointed but just occassionally things do happen like you wished and your perseverence is paid off. Today was one day where my prayers were answered. Three days ago I noticed that the Grebe juveniles were getting bolder. Today their boldness reached new limits.
     

     
At first they started off just out of reach. The light was beautiful today. A gorgeous day was just beginning and I laid and I waited.


One of the adults came to the edge to the side of me and started to fish. The juveniles as always stayed out on the open water and watched. Then I watched with bated breath as all three youngsters followed and started to fish too. The parents are still feeding them but they can now fish for themselves quite well.
 
 
The light on the water was stunning. Constantly shifting and creating new colours and textures. Sometimes the juveniles and adult came too close to focus on and one time a juvenile dived and was so close to me that my arm got splashed. They seemed relaxed and totally unfazed by my presence. Having seen these birds so far out on the water and then being able to watch them at such close quarters was humbling indeed. They are truely beautiful birds. These juveniles are now eight weeks old.