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    HomeGalleries- StoriesFeature Stories

    The Life Aquatic121

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    Belgian photographer David Pattyn has been photographing waterbirds for years, with a particular attraction towards grebes.
    As birds that rarely fly, and hardly ever step foot on land, photographing grebes means getting in the water with them. Pattyn’s rare and intimate photographs reveal their private world as they see it, at water level.

    Download our full story PDF, including text, here.

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    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) courtship, this animal was trying to impress another male, Oisterwijk, The Netherlands, April
    01405347
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) courtship, this animal was trying to impress another male, Oisterwijk, The Netherlands, April
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair performing their courtship dance in which they mimic each other's movements. The Netherlands. April.
    01492088
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair performing their courtship dance in which they mimic each other's movements. The Netherlands. April.
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) courting pair. The Netherlands.May 2014
    01492162
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) courting pair. The Netherlands.May 2014
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair performing their 'weed dance' during the courting or mating season. The birds offer each other plant material as a present to confirm their bond. The Neth...
    01492147
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair performing their 'weed dance' during the courting or mating season. The birds offer each other plant material as a present to confirm their bond. The Neth...
    David Pattyn / Great Crested grebes (Podiceps cristatus) courtship dance just after they finished mating, both have their crests erect in excitement, La Dombes area, France, April
    01405401
    David Pattyn / Great Crested grebes (Podiceps cristatus) courtship dance just after they finished mating, both have their crests erect in excitement, La Dombes area, France, April
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) in a threathening posture trying to intimidate another grebe in a territorial dispute. The Netherlands. April.
    01492093
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) in a threathening posture trying to intimidate another grebe in a territorial dispute. The Netherlands. April.
    David Pattyn / Great Crested grebes (Podiceps cristatus) two males fighitng for the right to mate at a particular mating spot, La Dombes lake area, France, June
    01405366
    David Pattyn / Great Crested grebes (Podiceps cristatus) two males fighitng for the right to mate at a particular mating spot, La Dombes lake area, France, June
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) performing courtship dance with one emerging from water right in front of the other which has fluffed up its feathers. The Netherlands. April.
    01492101
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) performing courtship dance with one emerging from water right in front of the other which has fluffed up its feathers. The Netherlands. April.
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair performing their courtship dance in which they mimic each other's movements. The Netherlands. April.
    01492096
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair performing their courtship dance in which they mimic each other's movements. The Netherlands. April.
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair performing their courtship dance in which they mimic each other's movements. The Netherlands. April.
    01492095
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair performing their courtship dance in which they mimic each other's movements. The Netherlands. April.
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair performing their courtship dance in which they mimic each other's movements. The Netherlands. April.
    01492087
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair performing their courtship dance in which they mimic each other's movements. The Netherlands. April.
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) male and female perform courtship dance, La Dombes area, France, June
    01405369
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) male and female perform courtship dance, La Dombes area, France, June
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair performing their 'weed dance' during the courting or mating season. The birds offer each other plant material as a present to confirm their bond. The Neth...
    01492145
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair performing their 'weed dance' during the courting or mating season. The birds offer each other plant material as a present to confirm their bond. The Neth...
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair performing their 'weed dance' during the courting or mating season. The birds offer each other plant material as a present to confirm their bond. The Neth...
    01492146
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair performing their 'weed dance' during the courting or mating season. The birds offer each other plant material as a present to confirm their bond. The Neth...
    David Pattyn / Great Crested grebes (Podiceps cristatus) performing courtship dance and exchanging weed as part of ritual, La Dombes area, France, June
    01405388
    David Pattyn / Great Crested grebes (Podiceps cristatus) performing courtship dance and exchanging weed as part of ritual, La Dombes area, France, June
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair performing their 'weed dance' in which they take a vertical position in front of each other and offer plant material to each other. The Netherlands. March...
    01492184
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair performing their 'weed dance' in which they take a vertical position in front of each other and offer plant material to each other. The Netherlands. March...
    David Pattyn / Great Crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) courtship dance in between vegetation just after sunset, La Dombes area, France, April
    01405405
    David Pattyn / Great Crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) courtship dance in between vegetation just after sunset, La Dombes area, France, April
    David Pattyn / Great Crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) male dancing on top of the female after mating, she is submerged, La Dombes area, France, June
    01405418
    David Pattyn / Great Crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) male dancing on top of the female after mating, she is submerged, La Dombes area, France, June
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebes (podiceps cristatus) pair mating on a kind of 'lek' the favourite place for lots of grebes to mate on this lake, La Dombes lake area, France, June. Second place in the Species Sto...
    01405368
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebes (podiceps cristatus) pair mating on a kind of 'lek' the favourite place for lots of grebes to mate on this lake, La Dombes lake area, France, June. Second place in the Species Sto...
    David Pattyn / Great Crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) male dancing on top of the female after mating, she is submerged, La Dombes area, France, June
    01405419
    David Pattyn / Great Crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) male dancing on top of the female after mating, she is submerged, La Dombes area, France, June
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) close-up of an adult with two young chicks. The Netherlands. June 2014
    01492167
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) close-up of an adult with two young chicks. The Netherlands. June 2014
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) close-up of an adult with two young chicks. The Netherlands. June 2014
    01492168
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) close-up of an adult with two young chicks. The Netherlands. June 2014
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) adult with a young chick on the back and another chick in the water. The Netherlands.June 2014
    01492170
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) adult with a young chick on the back and another chick in the water. The Netherlands.June 2014
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) with fish to feed one of its chicks. The Netherlands. June 2014
    01492176
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) with fish to feed one of its chicks. The Netherlands. June 2014
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair with chicks on the back of one begging for food, The Netherlands. June 2014
    01492174
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair with chicks on the back of one begging for food, The Netherlands. June 2014
    David Pattyn / Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) with two young chicks on her back. La Dombes lake area, France, July.
    01409738
    David Pattyn / Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) with two young chicks on her back. La Dombes lake area, France, July.
    David Pattyn / Great Crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) young stretching its wings, La Dombes area, France, June
    01405387
    David Pattyn / Great Crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) young stretching its wings, La Dombes area, France, June
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) stretching its wings. The Netherlands. June 2014
    01492180
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) stretching its wings. The Netherlands. June 2014
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) adult running over the water surface during the courtship. The Netherlands. April 2014.Second place in the Species Story category of the Terre Sauvage Nature I...
    01492143
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) adult running over the water surface during the courtship. The Netherlands. April 2014.Second place in the Species Story category of the Terre Sauvage Nature I...
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) close-up of an adult with two young chicks. The Netherlands. June 2014
    01492169
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) close-up of an adult with two young chicks. The Netherlands. June 2014
    David Pattyn / Great Crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) feeding young chicks on the back of other parent, La Dombes area, France, July
    01405374
    David Pattyn / Great Crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) feeding young chicks on the back of other parent, La Dombes area, France, July
    David Pattyn / Great Crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) fleeing from a competitor, Trebon lake area, Czech Republic, May
    01405361
    David Pattyn / Great Crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) fleeing from a competitor, Trebon lake area, Czech Republic, May
    David Pattyn / Great Crested grebes (Podiceps cristatus) courtship dance in the mist, Trebon area, Czech Republic, May
    01405360
    David Pattyn / Great Crested grebes (Podiceps cristatus) courtship dance in the mist, Trebon area, Czech Republic, May
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) fluffing up its feathers, during courtship dance, whilst its mate dives underwater, The Netherlands. April.
    01492164
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) fluffing up its feathers, during courtship dance, whilst its mate dives underwater, The Netherlands. April.
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) male tries to look as beautiful and impressive as possible. he pumps up his head and holds the wings in a circle to look as good as possible, during mating sea...
    01405371
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) male tries to look as beautiful and impressive as possible. he pumps up his head and holds the wings in a circle to look as good as possible, during mating sea...
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair swimming fast and mimicking each other's head shaking during the courtship dance. The Netherlands. April.
    01492100
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair swimming fast and mimicking each other's head shaking during the courtship dance. The Netherlands. April.
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair wimming very fast next to each other and shaking their heads as a part of their courtship dance. The Netherlands. April.
    01492099
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair wimming very fast next to each other and shaking their heads as a part of their courtship dance. The Netherlands. April.
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) in a threathening posture trying to intimidate another grebe in a territorial dispute. Head low over the water and crest erected. The Netherlands. March 2013
    01492182
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) in a threathening posture trying to intimidate another grebe in a territorial dispute. Head low over the water and crest erected. The Netherlands. March 2013
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) in a threathening posture trying to intimidate another grebe in a territorial dispute. Head low over the water and crest erected. The Netherlands. April.
    01492183
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) in a threathening posture trying to intimidate another grebe in a territorial dispute. Head low over the water and crest erected. The Netherlands. April.
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) in a threathening posture trying to intimidate another grebe in a territorial dispute. Head low over the water and crest erected. The Netherlands. April.
    01492086
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) in a threathening posture trying to intimidate another grebe in a territorial dispute. Head low over the water and crest erected. The Netherlands. April.
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) with discarded fishing net around the neck. The Netherlands. April.
    01492186
    David Pattyn / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) with discarded fishing net around the neck. The Netherlands. April.
    David Pattyn / Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) female in breeding plumage with Common or Smooth Newt (Triturus vulgaris) as prey. Close-up portrait. The Netherlands, June.
    01461077
    David Pattyn / Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) female in breeding plumage with Common or Smooth Newt (Triturus vulgaris) as prey. Close-up portrait. The Netherlands, June.
    David Pattyn / Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) four chicks age 6 days, The Netherlands, June.
    01461083
    David Pattyn / Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) four chicks age 6 days, The Netherlands, June.
    David Pattyn / Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) adult carrying chicks age 6 days on its back to keep them warm, The Netherlands, June.
    01461082
    David Pattyn / Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) adult carrying chicks age 6 days on its back to keep them warm, The Netherlands, June.
    David Pattyn / Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) adult with 6 day chick begging to be fed. The Netherlands, June.
    01461084
    David Pattyn / Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) adult with 6 day chick begging to be fed. The Netherlands, June.
    David Pattyn / Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) female feeding a larva to chick age 7 days, The Netherlands, June.
    01461080
    David Pattyn / Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) female feeding a larva to chick age 7 days, The Netherlands, June.
    David Pattyn / Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) female feeding its chicks age 7 days, The Netherlands, June.
    01461079
    David Pattyn / Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) female feeding its chicks age 7 days, The Netherlands, June.
    David Pattyn / Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) chick age 7 days trying to swallow food, The Netherlands, June.
    01461078
    David Pattyn / Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) chick age 7 days trying to swallow food, The Netherlands, June.
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