Blog Archives
Pied-Billed Hatch Year Grebe
Dear Friends, well fall is on its way as the pied billed grebes are gathering on Phantom Lake, this baby grebe is foraging in a small pond adjacent to the lake. I think they are so cute with their stripes on the cheek. til Tomorrow MJ
Feeding the Little Red Neck
Dear Friends, the Red Necked Grebe young have arrived, i think there are two and this shows one of the adults feeding one of the babies, til Tomorrow MJ
Pair of Horned Grebes
Dear Friends, i was hanging out by Phantom Lake and this couple were out for a late afternoon swim on a very rough lake. These birds are probably pushing babies around the lake by now, so til Tomorrow MJ
Horned Grebe Hairdo
Dear Friends, this Horned Grebe was found on a very windy day on Phantom Lake in Crex Meadows. A pair of birds were present but this one came very near the shore allowing me a closeup of his beautiful red eye and wild feathers. His yellow head feathers can be raised or lowered and when raised they look like horns from the front view. This day the wind has the lake stirred up and his feathers in a jumble. til Tomorrow MJ
Horned Grebe
Dear Friends, this horned grebe reminds me of the warmth of summer, we went north this last weekend, but too cold to do much photographing, maybe birdies will return soon and i won’t have to be limited to the pine siskins, redpolls and goldfinches that come to my feeder til Tomorrow MJ
Red Necked Grebe
Friends, having a ball working with my new lens, sharper and faster focusing than my old lens, not to mention more magnification (600mm). This lens for the money is a real bargain, so far the only defect is my shooting technique, but i am practicing for that once in a lifetime shot. This red-necked grebe is shy and for two summers has eluded me, but i spied him thru the dense blue stem grasses along phantom lake and was able to photograph without a distracting background. I love the color of the lake when it is slightly choppy as in this image. til Tomorrow MJ
Piggy Back Grebes
Friends, the adult grebes, like the loons, often carry the little grebes on their backs.This baby was hitching a ride for awhile but then the adult shook him off and went back to diving for food. The baby was left with a surprised look on his face. The eggs hatch one day apart so at first there is a wide range of chick sizes. til Tomorrow MJ
Feeding the Young
Friends, this mama/papa pied billed grebe is busy feeding five chicks. in these images she has caught a crayfish, crushed the head region and presents it to her largest chick. The smaller chick looks on in amazement while big brother maneuvers the beast to get it head first in the swallowing act. The adult birds feed the babies feathers to line their gut so these hard to digest prey don’t puncture the little ones intestines. Smart huh? til Tomorrow MJ
Lunch for the Horned Grebe
Friends, i am not sure what he has in his beak, but it was probably food, since in the next shot in this sequence, the item was gone, swallowed. I look for the natural history moments in nature and eating is one of those events that help a specie survive. Wonder what it was, crayfish or just plain fish?? til Tomorrow MJ
Horned Grebe
Friends, this is a friendly horned grebe on Phantom Lake, the afternoon light was just right for a closeup portrait. Those yellow feathers on each side of her head are the “horns”. I don’t always get this close but he didn’t mind my vehicle. til Tomorrow MJ
MJ Springett 