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Subject:

Jug Bay grebes

From:

Jeff Shenot

Reply-To:

Jeff Shenot

Date:

Fri, 30 Mar 2007 11:51:33 -0400

Today I saw a lone red-necked grebe on the main channel, in front of the Jug 
Bay Wetland Sanctuary overlook.  I don't know if it's still there, but it was 
there from at least 9:30-11, when I came inside.  It is in-between winter and 
spring plumage.

On Tuesday (sorry for late post) afternoon I saw a mixed flock of 12 grebes 
that were on the main part of Jug Bay, out in front of the river farm.  I first 
noticed them at about 4:45 from the AA Co. side, and found them again later 
when I was looking around from the PG side they were still there, until dark.  

The group had 1 pied-billed, 1 horned, and 10 eared grebes.  These were the 
first eared grebes I've seen here, and I had a hard time figuring them out.  
They were in varying plumages from winter to breeding, with none of them 
clearly in one plumage or the other.  It was very windy and the grebes were 
all riding the waves and mostly hunkered down; many had their heads tucked 
in.  There was one that was larger than the others, which I ID'ed as the 
horned.  The horned's plumage was coming out of winter, and its head pattern 
looked really odd.  The size difference was not easily noticed unless I had a 
full broadside view of it when it was next to an eared at broadside, and both 
with their head up at the same time.  This only happened twice, once they all 
looked up as an eagle passed and stirred up the other birds, and once they 
moved for an unknown reason and swam about 100 yards.  I looked carefully 
and am confident that 10 were eareds.  It was very challenging!

Cheers-
Jeff Shenot
Croom MD