Two Greater Crested Grebes do a courtship dance. Photo courtesy of LatestSightings.com
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Two Greater Crested Grebes surprised a photographer with an extremely rare courtship dance.
Twenty-eight-year-old Peter Martin, a self-employed photographer and nature enthusiast, had front-row seats to the amazing sighting from the comfort of the Malachite Bird Hide set in the Wilderness National Park along Langvlei Lake in South Africa. Advertisement
“I arrived at the an extraordinary spectacle.
“Then the grebes glided closer to the hide. Seeing them up close was a rare sight, and I couldn’t resist capturing their beauty on camera. Then, something truly magical happened.”
In a mesmerizing sequence of events, the grebes began to engage in a captivating courtship dance. They raised their wings, puffed out their crests, and synchronized their head movements in perfect harmony. The birds swam swiftly towards each other, creating an unforgettable sight.
The pinnacle of this dance was when the grebes offered plant material to each other, dancing gracefully on the water’s surface while rubbing their undersides together. Peter recalls, “It felt like a magical moment, and capturing it on camera was a huge bonus. What a treat!”
After this enchanting display, the grebes dropped their “plant offerings” and swam off together, side by side, towards the reeds. Advertisement
“It was incredibly rare for me. I’ve seen many Greater Crested Grebes before, but this was my first time witnessing their courtship display in person. I’ve seen videos of such displays and always been in awe, so this was particularly special.”
“To witness such remarkable moments, spend plenty of time in bird hides. Don’t rush the experience. Observe the behavior of birds and wildlife, savor every moment, and exercise patience. Sometimes, the unexpected can happen when you least expect it.”
Peter’s remarkable experience didn’t end there. He returned to the hide multiple times within a week of the initial sighting and observed the grebes engaging in similar courtship behavior. However, the magical dance he captured on camera remained a rare and unforgettable encounter.
This article originally appeared at LatestSightings.com.
