Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Pied-billed Grebes/Wild Birds

 Pied-billed grebe adult and juvenile

The first two photos were taken in late July. Pied-billed grebes tend to be shy, but my husband and I arrived early at this marsh where many grebe families were out and about.  We sneaked around behind tall cattails, which worked for a while.

 Head up

OOPS! The adult detetected our presence and both dove into the water. Their feet are not webbed. Instead,  they have lobes on the sides of each toe which make it easy for them to paddle. Pied-bill grebes rarely fly and, when they do, they usually do so at night.

Adults are  31 to 38 centimetres (12 to 15 inches) in length. Their brown colour makes it easy for them to hide among cattails. 

 Looking for grub

They feed mainly on aquatic invertebrates but sometimes dine on small fish and frogs.

Eating

I'm not sure what this grebe is eating here. Whatever it was,it was consumed very fast.

I am joining Stewart M's Wild Bird Wednesday HERE

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48 comments:

  1. AndySeptember 18, 2012 at 7:02 AM

    Camera Girl you are really turning into a Nature Girl. Keep on clicking.

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  2. MadSnapperSeptember 18, 2012 at 8:05 AM

    i love the hair do, make that feather do, on the first shot. did not know about no webs on the feet.

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  3. LowellSeptember 18, 2012 at 9:07 AM

    A most interesting post. I remember these birds from a previous post but I enjoyed all the details you added today. They remind me of what I look like when I climb out of bed in the morning!

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  4. CloudySeptember 18, 2012 at 9:13 AM

    Die sind ja niedlich, habe solche noch nie gesehen...

    Lieben Gruß
    CL

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  5. LowellSeptember 18, 2012 at 9:24 AM

    Ahem! Yes, we here in central Florida do experience a change of seasons and we do celebrate fall. Of course, the leaves won't change until December (if then) but the nights get cool and the days are perfect...generally by the first of October.

    In south Florida, the temperature can drop into the 50s and God forbid, occasionally into the 40s, but mostly it remains hot and humid through the year.

    We're lucky here.

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  6. Lois EvensenSeptember 18, 2012 at 9:28 AM

    Very interesting. Yes, that food usually does go down fast before it gets away or another bird grabs it. Very nice post.

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  7. HalcyonSeptember 18, 2012 at 10:03 AM

    I often wonder what these guys munch on. It must be abundant since there are so many kinds of geese and ducks around here! :)

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  8. Paul in Powell RiverSeptember 18, 2012 at 10:16 AM

    They are a lovely bird!

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  9. TexWisGirlSeptember 18, 2012 at 10:36 AM

    i love these little guys! we've had one or two over-winter with us a couple of years. i'm hoping they return this winter! thanks for sharing their babies!

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  10. Suburban GirlSeptember 18, 2012 at 10:54 AM

    Love the juvenile! So cute.

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  11. wendyytbSeptember 18, 2012 at 11:06 AM

    Thank you for sharing! This is probably the only way I would catch a close-up!

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  12. Connie SmileySeptember 18, 2012 at 11:34 AM

    My, those babies are cute! They must have wondered what you were doing in the cattails.

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  13. Linda KittmerSeptember 18, 2012 at 11:40 AM

    You've got some great shots here. Loving the bird images lately.

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  14. CarlettaSeptember 18, 2012 at 12:10 PM

    They are cute and compact!
    I like the morning lighting too. It highlights there faces nicely.

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  15. Small City ScenesSeptember 18, 2012 at 12:25 PM

    Hi EG I thought I had lost you. I guess I should save you somewhere. LOL
    Your pics are suburb. Our skies have been so blue I just love it. And the stars at night in these clear skies are beautiful jewels.

    Love you Grebe pics--those fuzzy dears---and the mosaic in your previous post is excellent. I cannot seem to do mosaics anymore now that I use Bob's computer. I should delve deeper. MB

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  16. eileeninmdSeptember 18, 2012 at 12:30 PM

    Great post on the Grebes! I think they are so cute, especially the cute babies. Wonderful photos, have a great day!

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  17. Craver ViiSeptember 18, 2012 at 12:35 PM

    They DO have a wild and scruffy look about them, don't they?

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  18. i stora dragSeptember 18, 2012 at 12:42 PM

    Interesting birds and nice photos of them! I had to search the english name on Google, find the bird on Wikipedia, translate the page and - no, we usually don't have them here in Europe! :)
    Greetings Pia

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  19. LONDONLULUSeptember 18, 2012 at 1:09 PM

    Love these birds - I've not seen them here before and your pictures are great, so clear! Even more special that you caught both adult and juvenile :)

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  20. RedPatSeptember 18, 2012 at 1:39 PM

    This is a great series, EG!

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  21. FlogistixSeptember 18, 2012 at 1:51 PM

    wow...really cute birds. . love the photos. . .cool . .thanks for showing it to me...keep it up..
    natural gas compressor

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  22. HansHBSeptember 18, 2012 at 2:14 PM

    A wonderful serie of shots, - well done!

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  23. Anni September 18, 2012 at 2:55 PM

    I think I've fallen in love....with the baby pied!!!! So so darned cute, isn't it?

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  24. mickSeptember 18, 2012 at 3:29 PM

    Great photos of the Grebes and the water and reflections are beautiful.

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  25. Adam JonesSeptember 18, 2012 at 3:34 PM

    Really nice these birds. I do like the Pied Billed Grebes.

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  26. MichelleSeptember 18, 2012 at 4:41 PM

    Interesting that they don't have webbed feet.

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  27. NatureFootstepSeptember 18, 2012 at 5:13 PM

    this is a grebe I have never seen. It looks a bit strange to me. Don´t seem to have the "proud" posture most of the others have. Nice shots, I love them.

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  28. LesleySeptember 18, 2012 at 5:20 PM

    Excellent shots! I love the wet head look of these guys, especially in the first shot!

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  29. Susan AndersonSeptember 18, 2012 at 5:29 PM

    Wonderful photos, as always.

    =)

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  30. ViolaSeptember 18, 2012 at 5:59 PM

    Oh! I'm absolutely melting! how sweet they are! :)
    I think I never before have seen those birds.

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  31. StephanieSeptember 18, 2012 at 6:16 PM

    Great shots of this bird.

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  32. Gill - That British WomanSeptember 18, 2012 at 6:35 PM

    what super shots, well done,

    Gill

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  33. JillSeptember 18, 2012 at 6:53 PM

    They are rather comical looking! Made me smile. :)

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  34. BirdmanSeptember 18, 2012 at 7:01 PM

    Like mom, like daughter!

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  35. PatSeptember 18, 2012 at 7:28 PM

    You captured some beautiful close-ups of the pied billed grebe.

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  36. LindaSeptember 18, 2012 at 9:36 PM

    Wonderful photos of the elusive bird!

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  37. RandySeptember 18, 2012 at 9:56 PM

    Love their spikey feathers.

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  38. RohrerbotSeptember 19, 2012 at 12:18 AM

    These birds have become a favorite of mine over the summer. Plus the chicks are so unusually colored...like zebras and tigers! Very pretty shots.

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  39. Cezar and LéiaSeptember 19, 2012 at 2:02 AM

    You prepared a great article here about these cute critters!
    And your pictures are wonderful!
    Léia

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  40. Vores haveSeptember 19, 2012 at 2:41 AM

    Nice pictures you show some cute ducks.
    Do not think that we have these in here in Denmark.
    Hanne Bente

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  41. Stewart MSeptember 19, 2012 at 4:40 AM

    These small grebes can be very spooky! So you did well to get any sort of image - let alone good ones.

    Thanks for linking to WBW.

    Stewart M - Australia

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  42. janeSeptember 19, 2012 at 5:23 AM

    Wow brilliant pictures as always - I have never seen this species of grebe before - I liked your previous blog on the hummingbirds and the collage - thanks for sharing Jane UK

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  43. DarlaSeptember 19, 2012 at 8:19 AM

    Interesting birds, liked the bit about their flying (or not). I always learn something from your bird posts.

    Darla

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  44. AnonymousSeptember 19, 2012 at 11:01 AM

    A great job you did, getting these nice shots!

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  45. Phil SladeSeptember 19, 2012 at 1:12 PM

    Absolutely cracking shots of the Pied Billed Grebe - very impressive close-ups.

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  46. SnowcatcherSeptember 19, 2012 at 1:37 PM

    As a certified bird stalker, I really enjoyed these photos. I've not seen this breed before, but I have on rare occasions seen western grebes, which are not common to my area of the world.

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  47. RoseSeptember 19, 2012 at 8:51 PM

    In the first shot, the adult looks every bit as darling as the youngster!

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  48. Martha ZSeptember 19, 2012 at 10:51 PM

    Great series! We have Pied-billed grebes around here but I have never seen a juvenile.

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