Day 6 of my bird a day challenge- GREAT CRESRED GR

Absolutely fantastic today at RSPB Old Moor!

I was greeted great variety of birds in the Garden hide, all inging and calling, squablling and feeding. Bullfinches (including several spectacular males), the bullies that are Greenfinches, Wood Pigeons, a Grey Squirrel ( yes i know its not a bird...!), Chaffinches, Great tits, Blue tits and more!

Over to the Tree Sparrow Farm now which had the usual, Reed Buntings, Tree Sparrows, Blackbirds, Dunnocks and...... A chesnut brown Weasel!

It skillfully snaked in between, under and over the thick, tussocky grass, reminiscent of a fish in water. It disappeared for 30 seconds or so before reappearing out of nowhere (how do you spell nowhere? It doesn't look right..?)

I got quite a few pictures of grass and the odd brown blur but I did get one decent pic of the Mustelid "flying" through the air!

Next to the Reedbed side of the reserve. The sun was shining beautifully through the fluffy phragmites reed heads, reflecting onto the tranquil blue water. I got photos, but something that pretty can never be reproduced by a camera..

The sounds of the waterfowl... Little Grebes, Coots, Wigeon, Black headed Gulls... I spotted my first Sand Martin of the year! I was buzzing from this sighting for a good hour. This tiny bird has just migrated from its Winter feeding grounds in Africa. Here it will breed on the artificial Sand Martin colony at Old Moor.

Now to todays Blip- a terrible photo of a brilliant behaviour. Great Crested Grebes are elegant water birds, which was the reason for their sad demise and almost extermination from Britain. They were hunted for their ornate head feathers and thick down. Here a pair is seen courting, which is the animal equivelant of going on a date... They perform an extravagant dance, where, during the climax, they rise up amd walk on the water, miuths full with water weeds. See Wildlife Filmer Adams video here- http://www.readersdigest.co.uk/magazine/179-Reader%27s-Digest-Main/1488

Today I also saw Dunlins, my first Little Ringed Plover and Chiffchaff of the year, great views of a Redshank, two Oystercatchers chasing each other, two rabbits and much more...! I got some nice pictures (if i may say so myself...) but had to post this Grebe photo because of what it shows. I'll post the other photos on Flickr soon and add a link from here.. :)