More Valentines Park...

At the end of this week I will be returning to Los Angeles, so I am spending as much time as possible watching my favourite Great Crested Grebe chick- because who knows where he'll be when I return?....

In my last post I wrote about my love of the patterns made by the birds' movements in the water, so will start with some more illustrations of this. First my Grebe chick rushing through the water:


And now just some bird-less water that I liked:


And here is a Little Grebe bobbing about:


And here is one of the parent Great Crested Grebes briefly allowing the chick to be near him (or her) as they both preen themselves:


And here the chick continues preening and showing off his elegant neck!


Now a Pochard preens himself, the sunlight catching his beautiful burnished head:


I'm always attracted by the comedy and craziness in birds- here the Pochard contorts himself:


And now it's the Grebe chicks turn to shake a leg:


And now try out his wings:


Herons are always cartoon birds and this one on the island does some odd preening poses:




Lastly, I will turn to pairs of birds: I find it fascinating how often they "mirror" each other. The Egyptian Geese constantly do this. First, they are standing together on the island's shore:


then they simultaneously turn round and retreat into the bushes...


I will end with the two adult Grebes who are constantly swimming together in unison now that they have rejected their poor,lonesome, cheeping offspring!