Vekeri-Lake: Black Stork

A week ago I discovered a black stork at Vekeri-Lake and this morning I went for it.

The morning began with mallards, egrets and grey herons, ...:

... then the black stork flew in:

It gulped a few fish then flew away.

Mikepércs: The Skulking Grebes Have Turned Up!

It was some rain yesterday, and it should be sunshine this morning. I expect some haze above the water as there is no wind. I get to the pond early, it's still dark.

With the first lights a female mallard appears, taking its way towards the log I placed there last time. It steps up on it and starts to preen:

Mallard (female)

Then ferruginous ducks are coming, one of the males bundles off the mallard, he needs this nice place too:

Ferruginous Duck (male)

Pochards turn up as well:

Pochard (male)

Pochard (male)

Pochard (male)

Suddenly I can hear the known cries of the red-necked grebes! Wow! They are here! I catch sight of one of them in the backlight:

Red-necked Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

The haze has disappeared quite quickly, a pochard settles on the log again, ...:

Pochard (male)

... but not for a long time as whiskered terns are coming bundling him off:

Whiskered Tern

Several minutes later they fly away so the preening place is the ducks' again:

Ferruginous Duck (male)

Ferruginous Duck (male)

Pochard (male)

A gadwall turns up too getting to the log ...:

Gadwall (female)

... not allowing to get anyone else nearby:

Gadwall (female)

Later it's getting tired of it and gets away, ...:

Gadwall (female)

... handing over the place to the pochards which are falling out with each other:

Pochard (male)

Pochard (male)

Pochard (male)

A strange looking duck turns up, it looks like a mix of a ferruginous duck and a pochard:

The red-necked grebe appears again but it doesn't gorge the frogs as it did several weeks before:

Red-necked Grebe

In the end a whiskered tern lands to preen:

Whiskered Tern

 

Mikepércs: Black-tailed Godwits

I expected the godwits to turn up again this morning. It's overcast, however I'm happy to see some haze above the water, ...:

Mallard (male)

 ... moreover a godwit is coming in the greyness:

Black-tailed Godwit

Black-tailed Godwit

Then avocets and stilts appear:

Avocet

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

The godwit is not alone, I perceive at least three of them hearing their cry from here and there:

Black-tailed Godwit

Black-tailed Godwit

Some time later the stilts start crying and quarreling:

Black-winged Stilts

Black-winged Stilts

Black-winged Stilts

Black-winged Stilts

I can hear known sounds again: a couple of redshanks lands, the male starts his courtship: he starts beating rapidly with his wings raising onto his toes behind the female and "yodelling":

Redshank

Redshank

Unfortunately they don't mate this time, instead they run away.
However a couple of avocets arrive, they probe and adjust their new nest, ...:

Avocet

Avocet

Avocet

Avocet

Avocet

Avocet

Avocet

Avocet

What an action-rich morning!

Through the side window I discover a godwit again: it's scratching itself, ...:

Black-tailed Godwit

... then starts preening:

Black-tailed Godwit

What a flexible beak:

Black-tailed Godwit

Black-tailed Godwit

It's having a rest, ...:

Black-tailed Godwit

... then it continues searching for food:

Black-tailed Godwit

The sun starts to shine intensively so I leave the hide.