So, it’s that time of year again, when our grebes start to lose their bright and colourful breeding plumage, leaving behind a duller version of themselves. During the breeding season, both the males and the females can be recognised by their bright and colourful plumage, which they need in order to attract and impress a mate, and possibly to keep a hold of their breeding territories as well. Towards the end of their breeding season (late July – early August), the grebes start to change into their winter plumage. It starts with the body feathers, and is most noticeable on the head, as it starts to lose the golden crest, and the neck and breast become more speckled with white feathers. Once the adults have finished breeding, they fly off to more secluded lochs, where they complete their body moult and undergo a full wing moult, becoming flightless for a short time whilst all of their flight feathers are replaced. When they have finished their moult, they are black and white all over, with none of the colour that they have during the summer. The grebes change into this more cryptic plumage so that they can be camouflaged throughout the winter, helping them to avoid predation. If you have visited the reserve over the past few weeks, you may have noticed this transition in most of the adult Slavonian Grebes on the loch, but now they are heading off to their moulting lochs, where they will complete their transition into winter plumage, before disappearing off for the winter. But don’t despair! We still have some grebes left! There is still a pair of Slavonian Grebes with at least 1 chick hanging around at Loch Ruthven, and the adults are both still in pretty good breeding plumage, but they are the last ones, so if you want to see a breeding plumaged Slavonian grebe this year, now is the time!! The adults will stay at Ruthven for a little while longer whilst they feed up their chick, until it’s big enough to survive without help from the parents, so it’s also your last chance to see Slavonian Grebe chicks until next year, so why not pop up for a quick visit!
There are also a couple of juvenile Slavonian Grebes still floating around the loch and feeding, but they are looking very similar to the adult grebes in winter plumage! There is a poster in the hide which may help you to distinguish between the juveniles and winter adults, so you know what you’re looking at! Apart from the grebes, there are lots of Mallards and Tufted Ducks around, with the males in their eclipse plumage at the moment, as well as both adult and juvenile Little Grebes still with 1 young chick, the Osprey has been fishing at the loch quite regularly and was seen catching a large fish a few days ago, plus lots of Blue Tits, Coal Tits, Great Tits, Treecreepers, Robins, Blackbirds, Bullfinches, Siskins, and even Redpolls moving around through the woodlands in fairly large numbers, so keep your eyes peeled when walking up to the hide and back, and you should see some interesting birds!
Recent Sightings
Greylag Geese (flocks at the West end), Mallard (males in eclipse), Tufted Duck (males in eclipse), Slavonian Grebe (at least 1 pair with 1 chick still present), Little Grebe (3 pairs plus juveniles and 1 chick), Grey Heron 2, Buzzard, Osprey, Pheasant, Oystercatcher, Common Gull, Black-headed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Robin (some singing), Jay, Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, Rook, Willow Warbler, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Treecreeper, Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Siskin, Redpoll sp.
Sarah WestSlavonian grebe reserve assistant