Yet More Grebe Excitement

If this morning wasn't enough - scroll down to read this morning's post 'Branscombe's Back To Form' - before work I had a 45 minutes look about, the last ten minutes were the important part.

Earlier this morning, on the way to Branscombe I was talking to Bun (bluetooth of course!) and he told me that Ian McLean had seen three small Grebes distantly from Seaton off Beer, but when he got to Beer he couldn't find them. I had them in mind when I was at Branscombe but when the Red-necked popped up forgot all about them!

So then to early this afternoon and before work... I was along the estuary with Karen looking at the dark first winter Iceland Gull, with a shoe!....

Note how its left eye is again closed...

Then a visiting birder came up to us, and I told him about the haul from Branscombe this morning, his response was....

"Oh right, I've just seen three Slavonian Grebes off Beer, about an hour an half ago, really close in"...

The next few moments were a bit of a blur (especially as I only had ten minutes before work), I suddenly found myself stood next to Karen along Seaton Seafront! Karen soon picked the three Slavs up, and they looked SO COOL! They chased each other about a bit, then dived down a few times. Have to say, they really looked at home. I sent the texts out then went to work.

Today is only the second time ever I've seen four species of Grebe on patch in one day; the first day this happened was 3rd March 2006 when singles of both Red-necked and Slav were off Branscombe. Also the three Slavs today is a patch record count. Well done Ian and mystery visiting birder.... : )