Great Crested Grebe ( Podiceps cristatus )

Clickychick continued with her conference so I had a day to myself.  I headed for RSPB St Aidan's "Nature Park".  A place we had visited once before but didn't make it past the cafe, it had poured down.  Today was fine and mostly sunny.

The reserve is a great habitat and I am sure is wonderful for the birds.  However it isn't so good for the humans.  The first reserve I have visited with no hides to allow you to sit and watch the birds.  Not even any screens with the usual viewing ports to allow you to stand and watch.    Most of the paths had phragmites growing beside them.  This gave a view of the birds but no chance to take photographs.  So my choice was limited.

I settled for the Grebe as it is a bird I don't often see.  Fortunately it had molted into summer plumage.  Back in history the British population was reduced to around 30 pairs by persecution.  In 2016 the population was around 4900 pairs.  Fortunately we no longer kill birds just for plumes in the fashion industry.