My Brussels patch of Roodklooster/Rouge-Cloître has once again become one big, open-air crèche for this year's offspring. This female Tufted Duck was accompanied by no less than 9 chocolate fluffballs and a female Pochard, another scarce breeder in Brussels, had three ducklings. An adult Great Crested Grebe was carrying three very young chicks on its back but I also saw a much older youngster on another pond, meaning at least two pairs have bred. Other species whose offspring I saw included Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Reed Warbler and Grey Wagtail, while the mixed species flock of young tits also contained a juvenile Blackcap or two. The first bird I saw upon my arrival, however, was a fledgling Green Woodpecker which must have just left the nest since it was still learning to fly and looking very clumsy.
