Little grebe

At this time of the year, there are always one or two little grebes at this location on the River Kent. They are shy birds and elusive, diving to escape and surfacing unseen a distance away. This one was swimming and diving in the shadows and reflections of the riverside alders.

The plan had been to go for a walk at lunchtime on a snowy hill, but my car was boxed in at work, so I walked down to the river instead. As well as the grebes, there was a pair of goldeneyes, the golden eye of the male almost gleaming in the low sunlight.

Much bolder than the grebe was the male chaffinch that tentatively came through the open window of the office, pecked up the seeds that had dropped on the window ledge when I filled the bird feeder, then hopped back out again a couple of minutes later. Those of us watching held our breaths, and there was no point in reaching for the bag with the camera in as I was only just over a metre away.

Thank you for all your well wishes yesterday, I was much better today. It is the season of coughs and sneezes.