Black-necked Grebe: Today I found myself working on a waste services plant carrying out a preliminary ecological appraisal, but it wasn't all that bad as I got the chance to see these beautiful birds on a local lake.
Their favoured habitat is shallow, eutrophic waters, usually with extensive fringing vegetation and often floating aquatic plants, and a site preferably sheltered from strong winds.
If I had to pick a favorite grebe species I think I would choose black-necked grebes, they are not only charismatic, stunning birds but they in a way an embolism of the north west as they breed by at Woolston Eyes NR
Some of my earliest memories birding as a kid are birding the inland lakes of Moore NR and Runcorn searching for these grebes, hoping find one that's on its way to Woolston to breed.
There were three birds on this particular lake, it had appeared that two had already paired up while the single bird was frantically calling. They won't be breeding here and will soon be off to their regular breeding site.
