A stressful time

The baby was in the water when I arrived at the Great Crested Grebes' nest. It made several attempts to get onto the platform but unfortunately the spot where it was trying to do that was too high and each attempt failed. As time went on, the parent sitting on the nest looked like it was getting rather distressed and had already move off the remaining eggs when its mate arrived and let the baby climb onto its back. The parent that had been on the nest then got into the water while the other one succeeded in getting on the platform with the baby safely between its feathers.

Watching it all happen made me feel as helpless as that parent probably did and it was a huge relief when the other one arrived to help the baby get out of the water.

None of the other 3 eggs had hatched yet when I went to check on them, today but one of them may have done so after I left. Although I'll be sorry to see this family go, I hope that all 3 eggs will have hatched soon so that they can leave the area, because the platform where the nest is, also supports the goal of a particular water sport and I think it may not be very long before it gets used again because the weeds growing on another nearby platform have already been removed.

I have been thinking about going to see the Grebes again in the morning before it gets too hot so that I'll only have to go out into the afternoon heat for my physio session at 2 pm. I'm definitely not looking forward to the latter!

Thank you so much for the lovely comments, stars and hearts on yesterday's Grebes blip. They are all very much appreciated.