Western Grebes have unusually mercurial personalities and their chicks exemplify that trait, especially when potential food is involved.
1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I photographed this youngster and its parents this past August at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. These chicks always seem hungry and they wait calmly on the surface while their parents are submerged in their attempts to catch fish for them. For much of the time all seems tranquil and serene on the pond but whenever a parent surfaces with food…
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
all hell breaks loose, especially when there are multiple siblings competing for the fish. The chicks rush the parent with beaks agape and emitting an extremely loud and irritating begging call. The entire mood of the pond changes from peaceful and quiet to frenzied and loud in an instant.
Here’s a closer look (large crop) at what the parent sees as the youngsters rush them like miniature torpedoes on the surface.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
This final photo shows us how focused the chicks are in keeping their “eye on the prize”. Sometimes multiple youngsters rush the parent like this and I’ve often thought the adults must feel like they’re about to become pincushions.
There’s very few situations where birds irritate me but I must admit that after spending hours at Bear River on a beautiful summer morning and listening to the incessant begging calls of grebe chicks the entire time it begins to get under my skin.
I can only imagine how the parents must feel after listening to it hour after hour, day after day, for many weeks.
Ron
Ron,, remember how Shannon acted when she wanted to eat? Just a thought. This sequence is one of your best. Thanks so much Diana
Too funny, I love it. Great perspective on that chick, what a mouth! And I have to say your previous reflections post has me looking more closely at the differences between the scene and the reflection in these images. Great stuff!
Marvelous behavioral shots Ron!
Charlotte
Oh my gosh lol..Although beautiful photos Ron, I can see why you were getting irritated.
🙂
Stunning series. I have to admit that I find incessant begging (from ANY species) irritating. Effective, but irritating.
Thank you, EC.
Kind of reminded me of the teenage years. Mouth always in gear, and expects the parents to do everything for them lol.
Images two, three and four remind me how lucky we humans are to have birth control options!!!!
We’re lucky we have those options for a LOT of reasons, Patty…
Gimme! Gimme!
Amazing shots!
Thanks, Marie.
The change in those babies from cute to monster is amazing. I’m guessing that the parents are inured to the noise of their offspring. This is one time to be grateful that you are a different species and can leave when the babies become too annoying… (kind of like grandparenting, I guess.)
Funny!
Your grand parenting analogy works for me, Susan.
Boy, did I LAUGH at that second ( and third ) image—the “Jaws” shark had nothing on these scary little faces ! Thanks for the laugh………
I can hear the Jaws them song in my head right now, Kris!
From zero to Cujo in 3…2…1… 😉
Fascinating behavioral photographs! You have such a great instinct (no pun intended) for capturing these marvelous images.
Thank you, Marty. I work hard at capturing behaviors and sometimes it even pays off!
Wonderful behavioral captures of these adorable chicks and thank you for making me smile this morning!
Thanks, Cindy.
OK, this time you almost made me spit my coffee onto the computer! What a HUGE, hearty belly laugh! Children can be so annoying at times–that’s why they’re so cute. Otherwise, they wouldn’t make it long term and a multitude of species (including our own) just wouldn’t be here! 🙂
It’s a good thing keyboards are cheap, Laura. I have to replace mine regularly for similar reasons…
Beautiful series, Ron. That’s quite a wake created by that hungry little chick!
Yup, that bird wanted to be first at the fish, Diane.
Wonderful behavioral sequence Ron!
Great job in catching the action.
By any chance do you know when the parents ween the young? Is it once the young are fully plumaged or before?
Do the parents teach the young to fish, or is this an instinctive association that develops as feathers appear?
Dick, Parents feed their chicks for a very long time but it’s hard for me to tell just how long because there are so darned many of them of varying ages. They have an extended nesting period and some juveniles are still begging for food into early October.
I don’t know if the parents teach youngsters to fish but I suspect they do – by example.
Awesome. Wonderful sequence. Love that the images tells a natural history story….
Thank you, Carroll.
I just can’t stop laughing. Great photos. That youngster’s face…A face only a Mother can love!!! Thanks for making my morning happy.
Imagine two or three of those faces coming at you fast at the same time, Ellen!
These photos are amazing, giving most of us a view we will never see. Thanks for what you do for us and the birds.
I’m glad you enjoyed them, Ann.
Ron these are awesome images ! You have really captured some amazing behavior and the emotion of the grebe chicks focused on food. I love the look down the throat of the incoming “torpedo” with the churning water behind it. Just amazing.
Thanks, Ed. I hope you’ve had some luck with your Pied-bills.
Wonderful! 🙂 You REALLY caught the action there. 🙂 Others, such as Magpies, can get on my nerves by the time they are on their own and even an immature calling/begging began to get on my nerves this summer.:) It does get the job done however.
Yup, it certainly does get the job done, Judy. I find both species irritating at times but I still love’m to pieces.