Thursday March 8 - Slav Grebe day

I had been intending to visit Arrow Valley Lake anyway, but on checking my phone when I got up I found messages from Mark I, and Neal D advising me there was a Slavonian Grebe there. By the time I was ready to leave the house though, the weather had deteriorated.

So I arrived in heavy driving rain and sleet. As a result I decided on an anti-clockwise circuit so that I wouldn't be looking into the worst of it. Half way round I was still grebeless and the only birder I had met was Nick from Headless Cross who told me he had been told the bird was as far away from the visitor centre as you could get, i.e where we were standing and seeing nothing.

We started to back track, and finally in the distance I saw a grebe flying towards us before it dropped onto the water surface. I hurriedly scoped it and confirmed it was the bird. Slavonian Grebe.

We marched closer and some photos were taken, but with the weather still terrible I decided to go home for a cup of tea, to return when it brightened up. As it happened there was only just time for the drink before the rain stopped and the sun came out. I returned and got some better shots.

Although slightly obscured by blurry foreground reeds this is my best attempt

I am not sure whether this species has been recorded here before, but I can't remember any records. It spent a short time sleeping but was generally just swimming about, sometimes preening, and occasionally making short flights when harassed by Great Crested Grebes and Black-headed Gulls.

As with any twitchable bird, it attracted a trickle of admirers, and gave me the chance to catch up with friends I hadn't seen in years.

I did record other birds while I was there, but the only ones to stand out were a squealing Water Rail, and four Tufted Ducks.