Western Grebes Posing Up A Storm
This time of year our Western Grebes are pretty laid back. The tensions of breeding season are over…
Tag: aechmophorus occidentalis
Western Grebe And Three Chicks – No Room On The Taxi
When Western Grebe chicks get large enough, back brooding all the siblings becomes problematic.
Western Grebe With A Channel Catfish?
Western Grebe And Chick – An Interesting Image For Three Reasons
Back brooding grebes are always fun to photograph but this image holds additional interest for me even beyond the “cuteness factor” of the chick.
Western Grebe – Still Back-brooding A Youngster This Late In The Season
I’m always surprised when I see Western Grebes with young chicks this late in the year but it does happen.
Western Grebe Posing Nicely
Eureka! Western Grebes Really Do Have Wings
The fully extended wings of Western Grebes are rarely seen by humans for several reasons:
Western Grebe Behavior – An Unusual Variation On A Theme
I’m always intrigued by bird behaviors, especially when it’s something new that I can’t explain or find in the literature.
Western Grebe Behavior – Probable Preliminary To The “Weed Ceremony”
Western Grebes exhibit two incredibly complex courtship behaviors, the Rushing Ceremony and the Weed Ceremony. I believe the behavior I photographed yesterday morning to be a preliminary to the Weed Ceremony.
Western Grebe Swallowing A Crayfish
When it comes to diet Western Grebes are fish specialists but they’re opportunistic enough to take a variety of prey, including crustaceans.
An Aggressive Western Grebe (and a difference in water-running style among grebe species)
For such a large bird Western Grebes can really scoot over the water surface when the need arises.
Grebe Chicks Hitchin’ A Ride
There’s just something about back-brooding birds that appeals to the human eye and heart.
Western Grebes “Rushing”
I’ve found the rushing behavior of Western Grebes to be one of the more difficult bird photography challenges of all. First of all you have to be there when it happens and I’ve only seen it a handful of times.
Western And Clark’s Grebes – A Comparison
Western Grebes and Clark’s Grebes are so similar in plumage patterns and behaviors that until 1985 they were considered to be color phases of the same species – the Western Grebe. In fact they’re similar enough that many observers never even recognize Clark’s Grebes when they see them and assume that they’re the more common Western Grebe.
Ratchet pointing, Dip-shaking Western Grebes
Two behaviors indicative of pair bonds between mated pairs of Western (or Clark’s) Grebes are “Ratchet pointing” and “Dip-shaking”. The behaviors are often alternated, one after the other. I photographed both of them as they were performed by a pair of Western Grebes three days ago at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.
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Western Grebe And Three Chicks – No Room On The Taxi
When Western Grebe chicks get large enough, back brooding all the siblings becomes problematic.
Western Grebe With A Channel Catfish?
Western Grebe And Chick – An Interesting Image For Three Reasons
Back brooding grebes are always fun to photograph but this image holds additional interest for me even beyond the “cuteness factor” of the chick.
Western Grebe – Still Back-brooding A Youngster This Late In The Season
I’m always surprised when I see Western Grebes with young chicks this late in the year but it does happen.
Western Grebe Posing Nicely
Eureka! Western Grebes Really Do Have Wings
The fully extended wings of Western Grebes are rarely seen by humans for several reasons:
Western Grebe Behavior – An Unusual Variation On A Theme
I’m always intrigued by bird behaviors, especially when it’s something new that I can’t explain or find in the literature.
Western Grebe Behavior – Probable Preliminary To The “Weed Ceremony”
Western Grebes exhibit two incredibly complex courtship behaviors, the Rushing Ceremony and the Weed Ceremony. I believe the behavior I photographed yesterday morning to be a preliminary to the Weed Ceremony.
Western Grebe Swallowing A Crayfish
When it comes to diet Western Grebes are fish specialists but they’re opportunistic enough to take a variety of prey, including crustaceans.
An Aggressive Western Grebe (and a difference in water-running style among grebe species)
For such a large bird Western Grebes can really scoot over the water surface when the need arises.
Grebe Chicks Hitchin’ A Ride
There’s just something about back-brooding birds that appeals to the human eye and heart.
Western Grebes “Rushing”
I’ve found the rushing behavior of Western Grebes to be one of the more difficult bird photography challenges of all. First of all you have to be there when it happens and I’ve only seen it a handful of times.
Western And Clark’s Grebes – A Comparison
Western Grebes and Clark’s Grebes are so similar in plumage patterns and behaviors that until 1985 they were considered to be color phases of the same species – the Western Grebe. In fact they’re similar enough that many observers never even recognize Clark’s Grebes when they see them and assume that they’re the more common Western Grebe.
Ratchet pointing, Dip-shaking Western Grebes
Two behaviors indicative of pair bonds between mated pairs of Western (or Clark’s) Grebes are “Ratchet pointing” and “Dip-shaking”. The behaviors are often alternated, one after the other. I photographed both of them as they were performed by a pair of Western Grebes three days ago at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.