Every spring I watch and wait for Horned Grebes to return to the lakefront. This afternoon, on an otherwise blustery, windblown day, the sun shown long enough to wake up a Horned Grebe taking a nap in Monroe Harbor.
He woke up and started swimming toward me.
And allowed me to watch him scan the water for places to dive.
Until he disappeared for the last time.
Love the grebes, Liisa. We don’t get too many of the Horned Grebes here, mostly just the Pied-billed, but they all are little cuties. 🙂
Aha. But maybe you get the Clark’s or Western more often than we do…? Sometimes we get Eared Grebes which are similar to the Horned Grebes and I have to do a reality check.
We do also get some Eared Grebes. I saw a Western Grebe last year which is unusual for here, and a Clark’s would definitely be a rarity here.
These guys don’t give you enough time to get a good shot, they dive away quickly! Good work Lisa! 🙂
Thanks. I was a little disappointed with my equipment (I don’t carry the best camera and lens downtown every day) but the bird was cooperative (maybe that’s why)!
Do you have any idea why they are called Horned Grebes?
Yes, but it’s not apparent in this plumage. By the end of next month they will have little tufts pointing skyward from the tops of their heads. I now realize I should have mentioned that but it was late last night and I just wanted to send up a flare about anything (it’s been a busy week).
Very cute! I like the pics of him feeding.
Thanks! He was really cute when he was curled up into a ball sleeping but too far away to get a picture. I had to check to make sure he wasn’t a piece of plastic.