{"id":20905,"date":"2015-03-08T06:03:31","date_gmt":"2015-03-08T12:03:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=20905"},"modified":"2025-07-22T14:48:58","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T19:48:58","slug":"the-grebes-are-back-at-bear-river-national-wildlife-refuge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/03\/08\/the-grebes-are-back-at-bear-river-national-wildlife-refuge\/","title":{"rendered":"The Grebes Are Back At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Clark'sClark’s Grebe adult at Bear River NWR – Nikon D200, f6.3, 1\/1000, ISO 250, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

A few days ago I thought I heard grebes calling at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge when I was photographing Tundra Swans<\/a><\/span> and just after that the staff at the refuge confirmed that the grebes are back! Pied-billed Grebes can be found at the refuge most of the year but the Western and Clark’s Grebes are migratory and I have been waiting for their return. They breed at the refuge and soon they should be rushing<\/a><\/span> which is a fascinating courtship display.<\/p>\n

\"WesternWestern Grebe adult at Bear River NWR – Nikon D200, f6.3, 1\/1000, ISO 250, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Western and Clark’s Grebes will soon number in the thousands at Bear River MBR<\/span><\/a> along the auto tour route and on the Bear River itself. I can’t wait to see them rushing or chasing after each other!<\/p>\n

Spring is springing up all over.<\/p>\n

Life is good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Clark’s Grebe photo plus facts and information about this species. Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Western Grebe photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n

(These images were taken in 2009)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Western and Clark’s Grebes will soon number in the thousands at Bear River NWR along the auto tour route and on the Bear River itself.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":143710,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[124,27,1148,162,26,161],"tags":[4004,4155,699,4008,4016,877,707,4094,165,5123,4014,4095],"class_list":["post-20905","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-clarks-grebes","category-utah","category-western-grebes","tag-adult","tag-aechmophorus-clarkii","tag-aechmophorus-occidentalis","tag-box-elder-county","tag-clarks-grebe","tag-grebe","tag-grebes-2","tag-marsh","tag-spring","tag-waterbirds","tag-western-grebe","tag-wetlands"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-adult-mia-mcpherson-8300.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-5rb","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":101210,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/03\/29\/clarks-and-western-grebe-images\/","url_meta":{"origin":20905,"position":0},"title":"Clark’s And Western Grebe Images","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 29, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"On my trip up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge last week I was delighted to see and hear both Clark's and Western Grebe species from the auto tour loop.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Spring Clark's Grebe close up, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/clarks-grebe-spring-mia-mcpherson-5961.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/clarks-grebe-spring-mia-mcpherson-5961.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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2024","format":false,"excerpt":"On my most recent trip to Bear River MBR, I stopped my Jeep on the west side of the auto tour loop to take a few images of a pair of Clark's Grebes.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pair of Clark's Grebes on the last day of winter, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-adult-pair-mia-mcpherson-0776.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-adult-pair-mia-mcpherson-0776.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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