Psilos Bird Journal
Friday September 26th 2008
     
Wishes (page 2)
 
Adult Great crested grebe
Today was one of those days when the lake is just magical. It bristled with energy and life and you could not have enough pairs of eyes to take in what was going on around you.
     

     
Yet again there were high numbers of Cormorants all busy fishing in the water. I tried ever so many times to creep up on them but for such a big bird they are incredibly wary. I think they all fished together as there is more protection in many eyes. As soon as you even attempted to get close (which was never close enough) they all took off flying frantically across the lake like they were shot from a cannon.


 
The Mute swans were incredibly flighty too but that is because they do not like to miss a free meal. They can spot someone holding a bag of bread from all the way across the other side of the lake. With much flapping of wings and the loud paddling of water they take off running a good quarter of the distance before finally lifting off into the air, often up to a dozen or more birds at a time before crashing back down again in a most ungainly fashion.
 
 
Towards the end of the day I was told about a wild Mandarin duck that was on the back lake. This was the same lake on which the Black swans had been nesting. Going in search of him I half expected to find a very unimpressive male in eclipse plumage. So when I eventually found him I was in for a lovely surprise indeed.
 
 
His plumage was immaculate and he looked stunning but sadly where he was sat the light was not so good. I needed him to move further down the lake. He was quite a feisty bird, calling and displaying and swimming vigorously with the Mallards. It was as if he had read my thoughts and he swam down to exactly where I wanted him. I do so love birds that do what you want them to.
 
 
Here on the golden water it complimented his plumage to prefection. I was very pleased with the shots I was getting. It was a wonderful end to a perfect day.