I was going through photos that I took last year when I found this image of a young Pied-billed Grebe, taken at my local pond at the tail end of November.
Young Pied-billed Grebe at a local pond – Nikon D500, f11, 1/500, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
It is just a little unusual to see a young Pied-Billed Grebe that late in the year in northern Utah. The facial pattern is typical of a hatch-year Pied-billed Grebe. I only took a few photos of this young grebe, so something or someone must have caused it to swim off to a spot where I couldn’t see it.
First, I recall that I wasn’t concerned about this young grebe because I knew it didn’t hatch in this pond. Grebes build floating nests, and I’ve never seen grebes nesting at my local pond.
Second, since this young grebe didn’t hatch at the pond, I knew that it could already fly; it didn’t walk to this pond. The grebe couldn’t have walked to this pond. The legs of grebes are placed so far back on their bodies that it is hard for them to walk any distance at all.
I remember that I wasn’t concerned that the immature grebe would be stuck if the pond froze over because it could fly.
This November, I am seeing quite a few Pied-billed Grebes at my local pond, but none are as young as the grebe was in the photo above.
I will be able to enjoy photographing the grebes at my local pond as long as it doesn’t freeze over completely this winter. I’m actually looking forward to snowy scenes and photographing winter birds at the pond.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Pied-billed Grebe photos plus facts and information about this species.
A gorgeous little adventurer. I am so glad that you knew enough not to be concerned.
He is cute! The reflections on that pond are so wonderful, did you catch any color from the gorgeous sunrises and sunsets we have been having lately?