22/11/2018 Brickwork Pond, Rhyl

Slavonian Grebe: I'm happy to have got this distant shot of the Slavonian grebe that has been in the floating about the Briskworks Pond for the last few days. A record shot was better than nothing as so often these winter visiting birds appear as a distant speck out to sea.

It is estimated that less than 50 pairs breed in Scotland but there have been recent attempts to breed further South, while may more are recorded around the shores of the British Isles each winter.

The bird stayed pretty far out in the middle of the pond, which is more of a lake then a pond despite its name. Even when a remote-control model boat came powering up to it, the bird still remained pretty far out.

Great find by Alex Jones, who was out on a lunch break from work when we came across the bird. Top bloke, top find, top birder.

30/12/2013 Pennington Flash, Plank Lane Canal

Slavonian Grebe: I saw and had some good views of this bird yesterday at Penny Flash from  the reed beds but today was something else!







Dawn and I made it down just before the last of the light disappeared and although the light could have been a lot better the bird looked awesome as it came fantastically close to the footpath alongside the canal.

A great local bird to end the year with!

10/02/2013 Astbury Mere Country Park

Slavonian Grebe: On a miserable grey, wet day I finally took the trip to Congleton’s Astbury Mere to see the Slav Grebe and I was not disappointed, the bird showed really well.

There was about four pairs of Great Crested Grebes a dozen or so Pochard and loads of Tuffties.

Through the rain and drizzle I was looking for the recently sighted Common Scoter and Scaup, but alas I was too late and the birds had left, the Scaup might have been long gone! So I decided to take a trip to Frodsham Marsh.....

31/12/2012 Hodbarrow RSPB

Slavonian Grebe: My last NEW tick of the 2012, where Dawn and I took a trip to the brilliant but blustery Hodbarrow RSPB Nature Reserve in the lakes.

We were staying at a nice B&B near Lake Windermere and spent most of New Years Eve day at Hodbarrow - its about an hour away and is rather like a giant marina lake. Full of Teal, Red Breasted Merganser, Coot, Pochard and Mallard. We went to see the Salvonian Grebe which has been there since August.

  We spent about an hour looking for the bird out of the concrete bunker-like-bird hide (Dawn said it looked like a public toilet block from the outside) without any luck, then we made our way back towards the car when we caught up with the Grebe amongst the Teal flocks.






The bird was miles away and yet again I struggled with the distance and the lighting but got a few record shots.  I guess we were lucky to see this small bird in such a huge lake, but we didn't see the Green Winged Teal which was there too!


Hodbarrow RSPB is a great place, best in Spring for the Sandwich Terns but brilliant in winter for its wildfowl and warders. There was around 1000+ Redshank and a few hundred Oystercatchers and Lapwings on the scrapes with the odd Snipe feeding in the grasses on the edges.

I would definitely recommend going on a nice sunny day as in the rain and wind, right next to the Irish Sea, the gales can be a bit of a challenge especially if you go with your better half who is a non-birder!