{"id":31178,"date":"2015-10-27T06:13:40","date_gmt":"2015-10-27T12:13:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=31178"},"modified":"2025-05-09T07:33:08","modified_gmt":"2025-05-09T12:33:08","slug":"a-clarks-grebe-in-flight-i-will-probably-never-get-images-like-these-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/10\/27\/a-clarks-grebe-in-flight-i-will-probably-never-get-images-like-these-again\/","title":{"rendered":"Clark’s Grebe In Flight – I May Never Get Images Like These Again"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Clark'sClark’s Grebe pooping in flight – Nikon D810, f8, 1\/2500, ISO 400, -0.7 EV, FX mode, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

I took images of a Clark’s Grebe in flight yesterday and I will probably never be able to do that again because they only fly at night. These are horrible images because I was so far away from the grebe and they fly surprisingly fast.<\/p>\n

From Birds of North American Online<\/span><\/a>:<\/p>\n

Flight<\/em><\/p>\n

Fast and direct with rapid wing beats, neck stretched with head slightly below level of body, feet stretched out behind. Migratory flights at night, rarely fly otherwise.<\/em><\/p>\n

From quite a distance I saw one bird attempt flight yesterday at Farmington Bay WMA<\/span><\/a> and I believe that this bird is the same one because after it headed north in attempted flight it swam back south. I was trying to pay attention to the birds in front of me and keep an eye on it in case it attempted to fly again.<\/p>\n

To my surprise… it did. And pooped while it flew.<\/p>\n

\"Clark'sClark’s Grebe in flight over the water – Nikon D810, f8, 1\/2500, ISO 400, -0.7 EV, FX mode, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The grebe flew north over the water very quickly and it was a challenge to keep my focus on the bird because of the vegetation nearby.<\/p>\n

\"Clark'sClark’s Grebe about to land – Nikon D810, f8, 1\/2000, ISO 400, -0.7 EV, FX mode, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I could see the grebe make a wide arc in flight and it headed towards an area with some open water.<\/p>\n

\"LandingLanding Clark’s Grebe – Nikon D810, f8, 1\/2000, ISO 400, -0.7 EV, FX mode, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

At first I thought this was a Western Grebe but after reviewing this image I came to the conclusion that it is a Clark’s Grebe because of the extensive white flight feathers shown in the crappy image above. Western Grebes don’t show that much white in their flight feathers.<\/p>\n

I couldn’t believe I had seen and photographed a grebe in flight during the day. The grebes are getting ready for migration and perhaps that is why I saw this grebe take a short flight.<\/p>\n

\"Clark'sClark’s Grebe scratching an itch – Nikon D810, f8, 1\/1000, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, FX mode, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I know the images I took of the Clark’s Grebe flying are not my usual quality but I will take them as they are and I am glad I was paying attention to that grebe. Once in a life time.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a><\/span> to see more of my Clark’s Grebe photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I took images of a Clark’s Grebe in flight yesterday and I will probably never be able to do that again because they only fly at night. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":143723,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27,162,1022,697,26],"tags":[4155,4016,4052,4122,877,7172,707,4094,3917,10558,4541,4095],"class_list":["post-31178","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-clarks-grebes","category-davis-county-utah","category-farmington-bay-wma","category-utah","tag-aechmophorus-clarkii","tag-clarks-grebe","tag-flight","tag-flying","tag-grebe","tag-grebe-flying","tag-grebes-2","tag-marsh","tag-pooping","tag-rare-sight","tag-scratching","tag-wetlands"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t