Immature Pied-billed Grebe being chased over the waterImmature Pied-billed Grebe being chased over the water – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 400, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Last month I captured a series of images of an immature Pied-billed Grebe running across the water with prey in its bill at Farmington Bay WMA. The reason it was running across the top of the water was because it was being chased by another Pied-billed Grebe that was just outside the frame of all of the photos on this post.

Immature Pied-billed Grebe rushing across the water with preyImmature Pied-billed Grebe rushing across the water with prey – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 400, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

This immature grebe had caught a fairly large weather loach when the other grebe noticed it and started to chase the young grebe. Pied-billed Grebes, indeed all grebe species, have a very hard time walking on the ground because their legs are set so far on the back of their bodies but that doesn’t seem to hinder them at ALL when they run across the surface of the water. The grebes move so fast when they are running that it is hard to track them and keep them in my viewfinder.

Immature Pied-billed Grebe scooting across the water with preyImmature Pied-billed Grebe scooting across the water with prey – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 400, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

This immature Pied-billed Grebe was able to evade the one chasing it and eventually swallowed the weather loach whole.

The Latin genus name for “grebe” means “feet at the buttocks” and the first image at the top certainly shows that well!

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Pied-billed Grebe photos plus facts and information about this species.