An early start allowed me to get to the Canal end of Marsworth reservoir, just before the lock to see what I could find near the reed beds. I n the first location I chose I was out of luck, but when I moved to where an angler was below me, I was almost in line with a gap in the reeds on the far bank where I spotted a grebe nesting. I gather from another angler this spot is known as the suicide pitch as the slope is so treacherous, more especially when wet, which of course is most of this year! One parent patrolled along the reeds; from my observations seemingly concerned for ducks with evil intent. Certainly as I was packing up the guard grebe made a pretty determined go at one of the ducks, and the duck took off in a hurry!
I then set up on the bank level alongside the path between the two reservoirs, Marsworth and Startops End that led back toward Tringford, where I captured a few common tern patrolling parallel to the bank, before heading to the main road to see if the pochard was around still on the far side of Startops, I only saw a single female. I returned to Tringford on the far side from the Anglers pontoon and was privileged to see a grebe find and swallow no less than two fair-sized freshwater crawfish, and fortunately it was so engrossed in feeding that it stayed close to the shore to my delight.
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