Great Crested Grebes by Nigel Kiteley

 

 

There are few more iconic displays among British birds than that of Great Crested Grebe. With the temperature creeping up and the days rapidly lengthening, February is a great time to see this species performing its impressive 'weed dance', as spectacularly caught here by Nigel Kiteley. Great Crested Grebes are generally quite placid birds, unobtrusively going about their business, but it is in late winter and spring that pairs begin to step up their courtship activity, meaning they can become surprisingly noisy, uttering their guttural contact calls as the birds approach each other before the show begins.

Nigel's excellent POTW winner has caught the grebes at the height of their display, with both birds' beaks full of weed as they rear up facing each other. With an excellent low angle to the water, a diffuse background and good exposure, Nigel has nailed this opportunity as it unfolded. Congratulations!

 

Other notable images

 

Whooper (left) and Bewick's Swans, Slimbridge WWT, Gloucestershire (Jonathan Bull).

Red-breasted Goose, Pennington Marshes, Hampshire (Jeremy Mcclements).

Red-breasted Goose, Keyhaven Marshes, Hampshire (Lee Fuller).

Gadwall, North Cave Wetlands YWT, East Yorkshire (Ian Howard).

Ring-necked Duck with Tufted Ducks, St Helens, Lancashire (Steve Young).

Grey Heron, Ferry Meadows CP, Cambridgeshire (John Atkins).

Little Gull, Stanpit Marsh, Dorset (Scott Usher).

Hen Harrier, Thessaloniki, Central Macedonia (John Friendship-Taylor).

Short-eared Owl, Bury, Greater Manchester (Martin Loftus).

Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Llandrindod Wells, Radnorshire (Kev Joynes).

Plain Swift, Lanzarote, Lanzarote (Michael John O' Mahony).

Common Kingfisher, Forest Farm CP, Glamorgan (Steve Clare).

Robin, Romsey, Hampshire (Lee Fuller).

Great Grey Shrike, Budby Common, Nottinghamshire (Ian Bollen).