Great-crested Grebe - unseasonal breeding. (1 Viewer)

[John Cantelo]

When I raised my binoculars to look at a smaller grebe next to a distant Great-crested at Fordwich (Kent) this morning (31/01/22) I was hoping for a Red-necked but what I didn't expect to see was a young Great-crested Grebe! A further scan found two adults attending a total of four youngsters. The species' incubation period is 28 days so as the young are clearly a lot more than a few days old, the eggs must have been laid somewhen in December. Does anyone want to hazard a guess as to the age of the young? Checking the 'Handbook of British Birds' back home I found that the breeding season starts "occasionally in April, usually from May onward ..... Exceptionally full sets (i.e. clutch of eggs) have been found in March". The Handbook also comments that they may breed in August/September so, depending on the age of the young it's a moot point whether the brood is very early or very late! Anyone else seen GCG brood in the winter?

 

[jurek]

I remember a paper in old 'British Birds' which talked about young seen in almost all months of the year. I personally only remember GCG young in autumn.

 

[PYRTLE]

Back around 1998 I saw a pair with young at Wraysbury on the River Thames, again at the end of January whilst out on patrol. The young were not quite as old as the ones in your photo. It further surprised me as the river had been in spate for some time, but the family were in a still back water eddy at the tail of an eyot.

 

[Richard D]

Hi John, I've never seen a brood in January. I'd hazard a guess that they hatched fairly early in December, but I couldn't age them with any certainty.

I must pop over to Fordwich soon - I haven't birded that way in many years, despite it being my teenage haunt.

 

[Ornitomania]

 

[John Cantelo]

Interestingly, almost a year later (in mid-December 2022) I found a pair of Great-crested Grebes at the same site again with young. This time they were clearly still dependent on the adults suggesting they hatched in mid-November. I'd imagine that they're the same pair as last year. Unfortunately, I've not been back to check if they survived the colder weather that came along shortly after I saw them