The Great Crested Grebe

I spotted this bird on my walk along the river at Caversham, Reading. In the distance, it seemed like a strange looking duck in the water with a crest so I zoomed in closer to get a better view.

When I saw the photograph, the striking features of this bird were very clear. The adults are unmistakable in summer with head and neck decorations.In winter, this is whiter than most grebes, with white above the eye, and a pink bill. It is the largest European grebe.

The Great Crested Grebe is the largest member of the grebe family found in the Old World, with some larger species residing in the Americas. 

Crested Grebe @ Caversham, Reading

Crested Grebe - Albania

The Great Crested Grebe breeds in vegetated areas of freshwater lakes . The photograph below is that of a young Crested Grebe.

The best stamp in my collection of this bird is the Jersey stamp as shown above. There are several other countries that have depicted this beauty which I would love to have in the near future....