There has been a Slavonian Grebe, on it's lonesome for the last two years to my knowledge, and perhaps longer, out in the Exe Estuary at Cockwood Harbour. It is reported constantly as a rare sighting but is not hard to find and you can see him on every trip there if you look hard enough. Sometimes, like this morning, he will be quite close to the tide line. I try from time to time to get a good photo, but as yet, no luck in that department. I did get quite close to him  this morning but the light conditions are so difficult with bright, reflected light off the water and a dark bird. With the sunlight coming from the wrong place this morning as well, this was the best I could do. He is very smart at present in his summer colours but hard to see as anything other than a dark little bird because the light reflected from the water is always so bright.
I am trying to think of a way to get closer to him, surely with a bird so close to my home I ought to be able to work out a good strategy. In the winter time he is a dull black and white thing, still with his ridiculously "red" eye, but in the summer his horns are amber yellow and he is a real treat to see. I do feel a little sorry for him, can't think why he doesn't go north to breed, but it is our gain that he prefers to spend his summers, and winters in Devon!

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