This week Colin is on the trail of the magnificent great crested grebe and the elusive otter It’s May and Colin is on a mission to track down of one of Ireland’s most magnificent birds – the Great Crested Grebe. Nesting snugly among the dense reeds on the edges of rivers and lakes, these birds can be very difficult to find. With more than a square kilometre to traverse on the lookout for nests, Colin has his work cut out. Luckily, the water levels are perfect for wading and it’s not long before he spots a male adult grebe returning to its nest. Wasting no time, Colin gets his camouflage net into position, ready for filming. In the past, Great Crested Grebes were nearly hunted to extinction for their spectacular plumage and so it’s an amazing and rare privilege to see these stunning birds and their chicks in such close proximity. It’s high summer in Kerry and – typically – it’s bucketing down with rain. For the last few years, something has always gone wrong when Colin’s gone otter spotting – but he has high hopes of success this time. Picking his way along the sodden river bank, Colin heads off in search of this elusive creature. But, yet again, he draws a blank. It seems the swollen river has swept away all trace of the tracks he needs to follow. Determined and intrepid as ever, Colin pushes on and, as luck would have it, discovers an active holt hidden among the twisted tree roots about fifteen feet from the river. Drafting in some high-tech help, Colin sets up an array of nifty infra-red spy cameras to capture any nocturnal action and is rewarded with some extraordinary footage of a mother and cub.