Grebes

Western Grebe - Salmon Arm, BC Every year more than 500 Western grebes make their way north to Salmon Arm Bay at the top of their range, to mate and nest in the shallow reed beds where they nest. They pair up and perform some of the most beautiful courtship dances known to birds. Once the courtship solidified, the nesting ritual called the weed ceremony is performed and the nest building begins. The female is fed during the egg laying and first part of the incubation and 24 days later the next generation is born. Michael W Klotz 2021 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Western Grebe - Salmon Arm, BC
Red-necked Grebe - White Rock Pier, BC There is one location in Metro Vancouver you can see all 6 Canadian grebes is White Rock Pier. Red-necked grebes are relatively common near the breakwater and further out into the bay, diving for fish and crustaceans with their long pointed bill. Fun fact about the Red-necked grebe is, they eat their own feathers which might be to help with the sharp edges of the bones and shells they swallow. Although striking in the summer, not a pretty bird in the winter, but better bland than someone's supper! Michael W Klotz 2020 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Red-necked Grebe - White Rock Pier, BC
Pied-billed Grebe - Burnaby lake, BC The odd grebe out.... our other four grebes that spend time here in Vancouver are long necked and relatively colorful where is our year-round resident is very drab from a distance. Along the boardwalk at Piper spit on the north side of Burnaby lake is where this bird had found a stickleback to eat. She spent several minutes making sure the spines were removed by shaking them off, one by one. Michael W Klotz 2020 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Pied-billed Grebe - Burnaby Lake, BC
Eared Grebe - Huntington Beach, CA When I first had a look at this bird at Bolsa Chica, I thought I was looking at a Least Grebe, but as it turns out, its an out of breeding Eared Grebe. The bird dove around the boardwalk for sometime looking for invertebrates. I noticed the bottom half of his beak was shorter than the top which is somewhat unusual. The most striking part of the bird is the eye in this shot, but during full breeding plumage, the birds full body color scheme is stunning. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Eared Grebe - Huntington Beach, CA
These wonderful pond dwellers are a so interesting to watch. They are some of the most stealthy divers I have ever seen. They can sink on command with out a ripple or a whisper, then rise just as smooth 50 feet away. They have a very distinct call like a honk. The young are striped and streaked with colors that do not look anything like the parents, but more like a clown. This was taken at Jackman Wetlands.
Pied-billed Grebe - Aldergrove, BC