The Fair-Maid of Fairhaven

The Beautiful Slavonian Grebe at Fairhaven Lake
I should take a permanent B&B at Lytham, what with the Phalarope the other week and now a Slavonian Grebe decided to drop in on Fairhaven Lake.
To be honest you wouldn't have turned out yesterday (Thurs 6th) as I drove up the M6 the horizontal rain turned to hailstone, with winds lashing it against my windscreen so much so the wipers couldn't take it, but the forecast promised a few breaks and as it was the only half day I had spare, I took the chance.
The first stop was the cafe....sticky toffee pudding and a pot of tea....this mouthwatering dish was eaten in two sittings as the Slavonian Grebe came across from the island and started feeding right outside of the cafe. I took some shot hand held just to get a handle of the exposures I would need for the shoot.
The meal finished it was down to business proper, the order of the day being sitting in the shelter until the storms abated then photographing as and when the grebe appeared.
Luckily it appeared at regular intervals in varying degrees of light. The water was choppy to say the least with the grebe often disappearing in the deep swell, working off been bags was a no-no with such waves.

Breaking the Water

I worked as low as I could with the aid of the tripod and the constant upping and downing along with the ferocious wind finally took its toll on my old bones, when I climbed back into the car I was exhausted but extremely happy.
The time spent waiting in between shooting was spent chatting with people I have known through their BLOGS or uploads on various forums and turned out to be a greatly pleasing affair and passed with the speed of light.

Sliding down the waves

In more sheltered waters later in the day

As the storm clouds gathered once more a small break allowed a chink of sunlight from the setting sun through to give some illumination on the Grebe
Fortitude