Whoopers

We went up to Tunstall reservoir this morning, on a cold, bleak spring day. Our main purpose was to see if we could watch the courtship of the great crested grebes that nest there every year, but the visit was enlivened by the arrival of ......

.... four whooper swans ........

..... that had chosen to stop off here on their migration back to Iceland.

They were wary and kept well offshore, but we had some good views, and we also ....

.... saw the great crested grebes. There are two pairs there this year. This pair were fishing on the main reservoir .....

.... and this pair were courting in the nature reserve at the head of the valley.

Dive! Dive! Dive!

This beautiful drake goldeneye was at Tunstall reservoir near Wolsingham in Weardale this afternoon.

also, 

..... a flight of oystercatchers ... and ...

... very wary great crested grebes that are likely to nest here..

.... and singing chaffinches in the alders all around the reservoir