A first for me Little Grebe chicks. Returning to where we had seen a Little Grebe last week it was a real surprise to see a family with 3 chicks. We had not noticed a nest deep in the lily pads. There is one egg still in the nest given the chicks are around 2 or 3 days old it is unlikely that the last egg is fertile.

The Little Grebe is also known as a ‘Dabchick’.Although they are recorded as common, Little Grebes are elusive. They will often stay hidden amongst vegetation on the edges of lakes, and ponds. They are the UK’s smallest Grebe they’re only around 100g in weight and just over 25cm long. These little water birds are great underwater swimmers and can be spotted diving under the water in search of food.

This morning I returned to the area where we spotted adult Blackcaps who were collecting insects last week. I guessed they must be feeding chicks. I was right and spotted at least 3 fledgeling on today’s visit. Young blackcaps are similar to adult female birds even sporting the same brown cap. Identifying a young blackcap from an early age can be done by looking out for their cap alone. By late winter, young males will display dark brown-black caps, and by the following spring are in full adult plumage.