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Posted by Paul-the-other on 14:42:43 12/01/06
I spent two hours photographing the bird this morning with many WPB birders most of whom had bird books. My guess (And what I will record) is eared grebe. That was the consensus of everyone there. The bird is still in close association with two scaups. There are 7 other pied-bill grebes withn 50 feet but they don't go to this bird and he doesn't leave the ducks to go to them.
The color matched Thayers depiction. The throat is a whitish color with some black and the adult non-bredding seems to be the best fit. The bird never retracted its head holding it high at all times it was visible. That is one aspect that makes it stand out from the cluster of pied bill grebe. A very strong vertical neck position that never relaxed and was drawn in.
The bird flew twice; east to west and a short distance west to southeast. It remained within 75 yards of the pavillion at all times and was comfortable coming to within 15 yards at about 8:45 AM. It is wary but not skitterish. Many observers changed their positions when the bird dived as each dive lasted about 60 seconds. Sort of a "mother-may- I" game. The sun was intermittant but both digital and film had good opportunities.
By way of a side-bar: there is a large raft of coots at Green Cay that couldn't push together any tighter if they tried. They were harrased three times by a red-shouldered hawk. What a sight as they all scrambled to make themselves invisible.
No matter what: a good shoot. A pleasant day that was "capped" by three flights of blue winged and green winged teals that swooped in.
Oh yes, the ring necked ducks came into the Exit 81 retention pond just as I was exiting the turnpike. Take a look at them. The fence is down and there is a lot of construction debris. Access is a little "confused" but try the employee parking lot that you pass before, repeat before, you pay the toll.
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