Western Grebe with three chicks – Nikon D810, f8, 1/1600, ISO 640, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
This past Sunday when I photographed pelicans, herons, egrets and geese at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge I also took a few videos with my phone. One of the videos I took was more about the sounds than the subject but it also shows the great view from the south side of the auto tour route. It was pretty windy so that can also be heard.
After the Western and Clark’s Grebes have their young it can be a bit on the noisy side with all the grebe chicks begging to be fed.
This image of a Western Grebe with three chicks was taken last August at the refuge.
The sound you hear in the video is just one Western Grebe chick begging to be fed and it was loud even over the wind! Imagine hundreds of grebe chicks making that sound as you drive around the auto tour route. The chick is not visible in this video, it is behind the rushes in the foreground.
Speaking of the refuge and the auto tour route, it was announced yesterday afternoon on the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge Facebook page that the auto tour route is now open again from sunrise to sunset. I guess they wrapped up the dike and road maintenance early! Yay!
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Western Grebe photos plus facts and information about this species.
Young ‘uns, whatever the species can be incredibly insistent can’t they?
Now I realize how lucky were are to have great images of these cute families WITHOUT sound…Those POOR parents!!!
I appreciate you sharing your places, sounds and images. We don’t have western grebes back here in the old country. Always a pleasure to get a little glimpse of the far away! Thank you.
Beautiful photo , Mia. So interesting to see them with their young.