Mikepércs: Black-Necked Grebe

I feared that it would be overcast this morning, but the sky at dawn is clear. My hide has been swept again by the wind, fortunately not too far. It seems that the four sticks can't hold in the april winds, so I'm going to anchor it.
The photography starts with the little grebes:

Little Grebe

At last the couple is together, but I'm afraid, they don't pose:

Little Grebe

A bit later the ducks come:

Garganey (male)

Shoveler (male)

Nothing gets close for a long time, then I see a little grebe in the distance. However something is strange with it ... it's bigger than the others. I bring it into focus ... it's eyes are red! Wow! It's a black-necked one! I wish it came closer! It's behaving like a decent grebe, it ducks now and then under the water for several seconds then comes up. On one occasion it pops up quite close, it's peering at the hide:

Black-Necked Grebe

The ducks are there too, ...:

Shoveler (male)

Shoveler (male)

... some of them in pair:

Ferruginous Ducks

Gadwalls

The coot nearby tidies its territory from time to time, it bundles off all the "intruders":

Coot

Soon a couple of ferruginous ducks gives the theme:

Ferruginous Duck (male)

Ferruginous Duck (female)

Ferruginous Duck (female)

I've never seen such a thing: the male turns on his back and it's preening this way:

Ferruginous Duck (male)

Ferruginous Duck (male)

Ferruginous Duck (male)

Ferruginous Duck (male)

Meanwhile the black-necked grebe roams the whole pond and after some time it gets nearby again:

Black-Necked Grebe

The gadwalls are closing too:

Gadwall (male)

Gadwall (male)

Ferruginous Duck (female)

Ferruginous Duck (male)

Eventually the black-necked grebe pops up really close:

Black-Necked Grebe

How beautiful ear tufts it's got!
This is what I've been waiting for! Perhaps next time we'll meet again.