Re: [MDOsprey] Eared Grebe 10/14 (yes)

Patty Craig (pattycraig@mail.ameritel.net)
Fri, 15 Oct 1999 09:35:58 -0400


Hi,

Greg was not the only one with doubts about the identity of the grebe.
I, too, felt it had some characters of a Horned Grebe.  Kyle and the
original observer seem to be the only ones without doubts.  Each of us
saw the Eared Grebe in different lighting and conditions.  When I
observed it the grebe it never showed anything but a head shape that
seemed to be that of a Horned Grebe - sloped forehead and the feathers
peaked in the proper area for a Horned Grebe and never a double peak.
Even in the brief moment I saw the bird up very close before it dove and
headed for the sea its bill seemed stout (unlike Greg's photos). Its
shape seemed right for an Eared Grebe, but occasionally it appeared to
have a light tip.  The bird was not as dark as Greg's photos make it
appear and from a distance it seems to have a facial pattern closer to a
Horned Grebe (though one in a transitional stage).   This Eared Grebe
has a yellow iris which leads me to believe that it is a hatch-year
bird.

Good Birding,
Patty Craig
Dameron, St. Mary's Co., MD
pattycraig@mail.ameritel.net


Greg Miller wrote:

> Howdy All!
>
> The Eared Grebe was seen several times today,
> Thursday, 10/14, at Patuxent River Naval Air Station
> with the latest sighting around 5:00pm.  This bird
> affords fairly close views.
>
> So what was the problem (mostly mine) with calling
> this an Eared Grebe from the start?  Well, there were
> a few things that I felt merited further
> investigation:
>
> 1) the slope of the forehead didn't look steep enough
> 2) the top of the head looked too flat
> 3) the bill didn't look thin enough
> 4) the bird lacked a distinct white verticle mark
> behind the cheek
>
> So what's different about the bird now?
>
> 1 & 2) The bird was feeding regularly.  After the bird
> would pop up, the feathers in the crown would remain
> flattened for a couple of minutes.  After these
> feathers start drying out, the familiar double-bumped
> look of the Eared Grebe is apparent (the photos should
> reveal this).
> 3) It's easy to tell the bill is quite pointed, but I
> feared it was too thick.  The angle of the bird is
> important to get a factual view.  When the bird is
> close, it is quite easy to see that the bill is thin
> (reminds me of a pencil).  The upper mandible is
> straight and meets the lower mandible with a very
> distinct, sharp point.  The lower mandible has a
> longer angle, optically making the bill's tip seem
> slightly upturned.
> 4) Even close, this bird still lacks a distinct
> verticle mark behind the cheek.
>
> Why I don't believe this is a Horned Grebe:
>
> 1) The slope of the forehead is steeper than Horned
> Grebe.  Horned shows a tiny bump at the bill and then
> the slope continues rather gradually and reaches an
> indistinct change in angle roughly 45 degrees behind
> the eye (back of the head).  On the Eared Grebe, the
> slope is quite steep to about the middle of the head
> [sometimes coming to a point] and sloping down
> slightly to a change in angle at the back of the head
> before disappearing into the top of the nape.
> 2) This bird lacks any white on the bill tip
> 3) There exists no white at all on the frontal part of
> the forehead (next to the bill)
> 4) This dingy bird looks "dirty" on the front of the
> neck from the throat down to the upper chest, and in
> the head and face (although on very close inspection,
> the bird's feathers are not dirty, but dusky gray).
> All that instead of the cleaner, more contrasty
> appearance of the Horned Grebe, especially on the face
> and front of the neck.
> 5) The dark on the crown extends from the base of the
> lower mandible, extending below the eye and then
> straight back, disappearing into a dingy gray before
> reaching the back of the nape. (though some Horned
> Grebes can show this amount of dark feathering,
> too--this bird does not show as deep an ear patch as
> most of the field guides show and this is probably the
> reason that the verticle mark is not as revealing).
> 6) The face is smudged with gray and the area that
> should be white is a pale grayish color
>
> Overall, it's a small,dark bird, and mostly a dull,
> dusky, brownish-gray on the back.  It is quite buoyant
> most of the time and when the bird is swimming away,
> the white feathers under the tail are evident.
> Between the dark gray back and the bird's dusky sides,
> the white in the ruffled feathers is often quite
> apparent on this individual.  The bird dives quite
> frequently for up to 15 seconds at a time and may
> cover a distance of 50 ft or more.  The bird spends a
> majority of it's time feeding close to shore.
>
> At any rate, a fun bird to observe.
>
> -Greg Miller
> Hollywood, MD
>
> =====
>
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