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I love it when the sun shines; everything seems so much better.I spent an hour just sitting by a lake taking in the sights, sounds and smells, a fantastic sensory experience.The swans above had a calming effect.

I often spend my time walking around a reserve scaring the wildlife but there is a lot to be said for letting nature come to you. To sit still and be quiet is fantastic. I saw so much,which I recorded with my camera. I will start with a bird species called the little grebe.

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The little grebe is a fairly shy bird and it didn’t show itself to me for a good ten minutes. Skulking underneath overhanging trees making sure it was safe to come out from hiding. Fascinating to watch. I had never seen a little grebe feed and I thought they fed on small minnows and insect larvae, so the size of the fish it caught surprised me.

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There were two little grebes on the lake; they were probably a pair but unlike the great crested grebe, they seem to be reluctant to share food.

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If my guess is right, the attitude will change in the breeding season when trying to impress a female. More to follow.

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