Mr Grebe

Last Sunday, I brought you Mrs Grebe incubating her eggs on a local loch. Today, I bring you Mr Grebe sharing the same parental task.

Today I witnessed the change-over. After bringing in several pieces of weed to add to the nest, the female finally decided it was time for a break and climbed off the nest. The male climbed on and soon settled down to incubate as its partner went for a wash & brush-up. During the change-over, it was clear that they have a clutch of 4 eggs.

Male and female great-crested grebes (Podiceps cristatus) are very similar in appearance but when seen side by side, it is clear that the crest feathers and ruff feathers are longer in the male.

According to another visitor, they have been sitting for at least 3 weeks now and Google reveals that their normal incubation period is 27-29 days so I expect there to be young ones by next weekend.