Pic of the Day

Western Grebe, Aechmophorus occidentalis:  Bear River National Wildlife Refuge, Utah

     This photo was taken on my last day at the Bear River National Wildlife Refuge near Brigham, Utah.  I had driven past the location of the nest numerous times, but never noticed it.   On my last drive through I actually drove past the nest before my brain registered that I had just seen a grebe on a nest.   I quickly backed up and sure enough, a Western Grebe  was on a nest.  I quickly grabbed my camera and camouflage cover and slipped down the edge of the road to photograph the grebe.  I captured this image as the grebe climbed onto the nest.  Note the feathers underneath the grebe opening to expose the brood patch as she sits on the eggs.

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f/4, 1/160 second @ f8

Pic of the Day

Clark's Grebe, Aechmophorus clarkii:  Bear River Bird Sanctuary near Brigham, Utah     

     On the morning I arrived at Bear River I found the refuge enshrouded with a light fog and a thin layer of clouds that diffused the morning light.  The water, clouds, and fog gave the overall scene a wash of gray.  Starting in photography more than 45 years ago shooting black and white, the monotone scene was so appealing I could not pass it up. 

     Bear River is known for its abundant population of Western and Clark’s Grebes, and they were everywhere the morning I arrived.  This bird, and most of the other grebes were floating on the lake sleeping with their heads tucked under a wing.  As I shot the serene, gray scene before me, this grebe burst into action.  As it rose from the water I began shooting images in rapid succession and captured its flapping and wing stretching frenzy.  Within a few seconds the action was over, but I was left with this prize of a foggy Bear River morning.

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f/4, 1/1000 second @ f/8

Pic of the Day

Wilson’s Phalarope (female), Phalaropus tricolor: Bear River Bird Sanctuary; Brigham, Utah

    Wilson’s Phalaropes (all three phalaropes species actually) are among the few birds where sex roles are reversed.  Females are larger and brighter colored than the males.  The females pursue males, compete for and defend territory.  Once mated, the female will lay eggs and leaves the male to incubate and care for their young by himself.  I found this, and many other Wilson’s Phalaropes at the Bear River Bird Sanctuary near Brigham, Utah where they pass through during the spring migration.

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/640 seconds @ f8

Pic of the Day

     The Clark's and Western Grebes were long thought to be of the same species.  The Clark’s Grebe was first described to science in 1858, but was considered as a variant of the western Grebe.  It was not until 1985 that the two species were split and the Clark’s gained its own species status.

Clark's Grebe, Aechmophorus clarkii:  Bear River Bird Sanctuary; Brigham, Utah

    Though they both perform the same style of courtship display and occupy the same habitat, the differences in facial patterns keeps the two species from interbreeding.  The black cap of the Western Grebe extends to the eye, or below the eye while the Clark’s has a distinct white margin between the eye and black cap.  I have also noticed, and this is easily recognized at a distance, that the Clark’s flankes seem to be lighter than those of the Western Grebe.   This makes identification of the two species quite easy from afar.

    Other identifying features are the bill color and the voice.  The Clark’s bill is a bright yellow-orange, while the Western's shows a yellow bill with an olive tinge.  The voices of the two species are quite different as well.  The Clark’s voice is a single syllable “kreeek,” and the Western a distinct two syllable “Kree-eeek.”

Western Grebe, Aechmophorus occidentalis: Bear River Bird Sanctuary; Brigham, Utah
Note: that the two Western Grebes shown here shown different facial patterns.  The 
 foreground bird shows the black cap extenuating to the top of the eye while the bird in 
the background show the black cap extending below the eye.

     The Clark’s Grebe is named in honor of John Henry Clark.  Clark was a 19^th century American surveyor who was a naturalist and a collector.  The genus name Aechmophorus comes from the Ancient Greek word “aichme”, meaning spear, referencing the grebes long dagger like beak.

Hear the call of the Clark’s Grebe:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Clarks_Grebe/sounds

Hear the call of the Western Grebe:  http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Grebe/sounds

References:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark's_grebe

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/clarks-grebe

Top:  Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/200 second @ f/6.3

Bottom:  Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/400 second @ f/10

Pic of the Day

Marsh Wren, Cistothorus palustris:  Bear River Bird Sanctuary; Brigham, Utah

     Marsh Wrens seem as numerous as the cattails at the Bear River Bird Sanctuary, and their vociferous chants could be heard continuously as I drove along the wildlife drive. Many of the wren’s territories are deep within the mass of rushes, but this fine fellow was building a nest within easy reach of my lens.  As soon as I stopped to shoot, it flew to a nearby reed, began singing and perfectly posed for my camera.  I wish every shot could be as easy.

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f/4, 1/800 second @ f/9