This year, I’ve photographed birds more than ever before. I have enjoyed it a lot. I have sat by the lake shore every night, sometimes also during morning, waiting for the Great crested grebes to show up.

Some Technical Facts of My Bird Photography

The main reason is my new camera, the Canon R6 Mark II, which I introduced in my earlier blog post. One of the most exciting features of this camera is its eye detection autofocus—it helps me get sharper shots. Or at least sharper than before.

The images aren’t always pin-sharp, though. That’s mainly because my EF 300mm lens doesn’t have enough reach. It struggles when the birds are too far away. So, I often have to settle for what I call “birds in landscape” shots. In these shots, the setting becomes part of the story. They are beautiful too. But it is nice to get shots, in which the bird is bigger.

To achieve a focal length of 600mm, I use a 2x extender with the EF 300mm lens. While this setup does increase reach, it also reduces light transmission and softens the image quality. But in my mind not every image needs to be tack sharp. After all, there’s more to bird photography than technical perfection.

But let’s move on to what really matters: the birds themselves—especially the Great Crested Grebes.

Great Crested Grebes

Near our cabin, there’s a protected nature reserve with a peaceful, secluded bay. Every spring, this bay becomes home to a pair of Great Crested Grebes.

From what I’ve observed, it’s always just one pair—they seem to have claimed this bay for themselves. Other grebes are not tolerated. Only coots are occasionally allowed to swim around the edges.

Grebes are Territorial

Grebes are territorial and fiercely protect their nesting area. Any intruders are promptly chased away. This spring, I haven’t seen any of their dramatic territorial battles in person, but Mr. H has captured those moments in past years—water flying, birds leaping in the air. Spectacular stuff. But you can’t have it all.

Nest-building and Courtship Rituals

The grebes arrived during the second week of April, as soon as the ice had melted from the bay. Since then, their days have been filled with nest-building and courtship rituals, occasionally interrupted by squabbles or quick fishing trips.

Staying Hidden – and Still Too Far

I’ve photographed them on five different occasions this season. Each time, I’ve observed something beautiful. I’ve seen ritual displays, elegant dances, and moments of calm.

One of the main challenges in photographing Great Crested Grebes is that they stay at a distance. They rarely come close.

When I’m out shooting, I always wear a camouflage poncho and hide behind a net. My camera is also wrapped in camouflage covers, and both the camera and tripod are mostly concealed behind the netting. Still, the grebes keep their distance.

The reason is timing. I need to reach the water’s edge even earlier. This should be before darkness starts to fade into dawn when the birds are still sleeping.

What I’d love most is to watch them behaving naturally, unaware of my presence. That’s when you see the real magic. I guess I still have some fine-tuning to do with my stealth setup.

Now I’m waiting for the next stage: eggs and hatchlings. My goal is to capture a photo of the parents with their young.

A few facts about the Great Crested Grebe:

Identification: A large and elegant waterbird with striking ornamental head plumes, especially prominent during courtship. Its croaking, growling calls are also characteristic during breeding season.

Behavior: Their courtship display is elaborate and theatrical, involving odd postures, chasing, and vocalizations. While they don’t have a long flight distance, they are shy and elusive, diving to escape danger.

Diet: Mainly small fish, but also mollusks and aquatic invertebrates.

Breeding: Builds a floating nest in reed beds. Typically lays 3–6 eggs in May or June. Grebes often nest near other pairs and may take advantage of nearby gull colonies for added protection. Both parents share in incubation and chick care.

Distribution and population: Found in clear, nutrient-rich lakes of southern and central Finland, especially where reeds are abundant. Also present in the inner archipelago of the sea. Unfortunately, the population has nearly halved since the 1980s.

---

If you’ve had encounters with Great Crested Grebes—or other memorable bird moments—I’d love to hear about them in the comments! If you have some valuable tips for bird photography, please share them. I am sure my audience will be happy to read about your insights.

You can also follow my photography journey on Instagram @mindy_jac. I share more behind-the-scenes glimpses there. You will see new images as the season unfolds.

Every story begins with light and shadow—thank you for being part of mine.