Field Stories
Long-form wildlife projects developed through repeated field visits and behavioural observation.
Great Crested Grebes
The Location
River Lee Country Park, Hertfordshire – roughly 25 km north of central London. This stretch of the Lee Valley Regional Park is a great spot in the south-east of England to observe great crested grebes, with calm reservoirs and reeds offering the perfect habitat during the spring breeding season.
The Season
This project took shape over the spring of 2026, a period when I returned to the park multiple times to film the great crested grebes. Spring is their mating season, during which grebes pair up, perform their mirroring courtship dances on the water, and build floating nests in the reeds. Once the chicks hatch, they spend most of their first two weeks riding on their parents’ backs, nestled inside their wings – making for a spectacular scene.
Early Mornings
I started setting my alarm for around 4:00 am, arriving at the water’s edge while the park was still dark and quiet. In those early hours, I was fortunate to find the park wrapped in fog a few times – a mood that felt made for photography, even if it meant shooting in very low light.
In the Field
Great crested grebes are wary birds. I quickly learned that any chance of photographing natural behaviour meant becoming invisible – or as close to it as possible. I invested in a camouflage layer to better blend into the reeds and wait. Settling into position before first light, I would stay still for long stretches, letting the birds forget I was there. The patience required is part of what I came to love about this project. To get the perspective I wanted, I shot with a 600mm lens mounted on a tripod, positioned right at water level.
The Grebes
The great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) is Britain’s largest grebe, instantly recognisable by its elegant chestnut and black head plumes. Once hunted almost to extinction in the 19th century for its feathers, it made a remarkable comeback and is now a relatively common sight on larger lakes and reservoirs. But common does not mean ordinary. Their courtship is a highly elaborate display – a synchronised mirror dance that culminates in the “weed dance,” where both birds rise chest-to-chest out of the water, shaking their heads and offering each other gifts of weed. Unfortunately, I was not able to capture the final weed dance, but I am sure the experience I gained during these months will help me get better footage next time.
What I Learned
This was my first real long project since I started wildlife photography, and it taught me so much about what it actually takes. Spending so many hours down by the water changed how I do things in the field. Here are the main things I learned along the way:
- Patience and quietness is everything: I had to wait for hours and just adapt to the birds’ timing. For example, I got great shots when they were close to the nest, but they would often leave the nesting area for a long time to feed. In those moments, you just have to wait as they may reappear all of a sudden with a fish in their beak – and you need to be ready. In addition, one noisy step can really ruin the shot when the subject is very spooky.
- Observation before shooting: It was really important to go to the park a couple of days before my first shoot to see where the grebes spend their time and check the lighting. There is a lot to look for – sometimes you find a spot with great light, but there is no actual place for you to sit, hide, and wait. Pre-scouting helped me find the perfect balance.
- They are so unpredictable: The grebes are very quick in the water. Once they dive, they can reappear 20 or 30 meters away, making it very difficult to track them.
- Get there in the dark: Arriving at the location early in the morning before the sun comes up is the best trick. The darkness slightly hides you and by the time the sun comes out, the birds and the wildlife around you have either acknowledged your presence or forgot you are there.
- Camouflage is essential: The first time I went out, I didn’t have a camouflage cover, and I could see the birds and ducks swimming away the moment they saw me. Once I started using the camo layer, I blended in well, so that the birds forgot I was there, and I even had the grebes swimming a couple of meters from me (too close for filming them with the 200-600mm).
- Comfort keeps you going: Sitting still for long hours is really hard, especially on uneven ground. I used a small inflatable pillow to sit on, and honestly, without it, I could not have stayed out there that long.
The Video
This two minutes video summarises the behaviour of the grebes during spring, filmed entirely at the River Lee Country Park.
Water Voles (Work In Progress)
Want to collaborate? Get in touch →