{"id":93538,"date":"2021-08-18T06:31:42","date_gmt":"2021-08-18T12:31:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=93538"},"modified":"2024-06-21T06:14:40","modified_gmt":"2024-06-21T11:14:40","slug":"nesting-western-grebe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/08\/18\/nesting-western-grebe\/","title":{"rendered":"Nesting Western Grebe Plus Good News On The Parleys Canyon Fire"},"content":{"rendered":"

One year ago today I found and pointed out a nesting Western Grebe with two eggs at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge<\/span><\/a> and I realized yesterday that I had never shared photos of it. I must have been very busy last year to have not posted any images of the nesting grebe.<\/p>\n

\"NestingNesting Western Grebe checking on its eggs – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1000, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

When I first spotted the adult grebe it was swimming near its nest. I could tell by the grebe’s behavior that it appeared to want to climb into the nest so I kept my focus entirely on the bird. All grebes have a difficult time moving on land because their legs are located so far back on their bodies. As this Western Grebe moved onto the floating nest water droplets flew out from its head and body.<\/p>\n

\"NestingNesting Western Grebe turning its eggs – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/800, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The adult grebe gently turned the two eggs that were in the nest. These grebes must have to be very careful when turning their eggs with their long, sharp bills.<\/p>\n

\"NestingNesting Western Grebe settling down on its eggs – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1000, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

After the grebe finished turning the eggs it seemed to check them out thoroughly as it squatted above them. Then the adult grebe settled in on them slowly to incubate the eggs.<\/p>\n

\"WesternWestern Grebe incubating its eggs – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1000, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I recall that I was thoroughly delighted to have found and photographed this nesting Western Grebe. It did seem late in the season for the grebe to still be on eggs while other grebes on the refuge were raising active, hungry chicks but this grebe may have had a nesting failure earlier in the season.<\/p>\n

I haven’t photographed any grebe chicks so far this nesting season. That is something I need to fix.<\/p>\n

On to some great news!<\/h2>\n

Yesterday afternoon rain from a monsoonal flow moved into northern Utah. By about 7:30 pm I saw that all evacuees of the #ParleysCanyonFire could go home. The rain truly helped out with the Parleys Canyon Fire along with the hard work of firefighters on the ground and the air.<\/p>\n

\"RadarRadar at 3:23 am on August 18 2021<\/span><\/p>\n

It is supposed to rain off and on until about 6 pm tomorrow and that should help put out any lingering hot spots. Last night the fire was listed as 40% contained and I think that by the end of today it will be listed as 100%.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

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

One year ago today I found a nesting Western Grebe with two eggs at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and I realized yesterday that I had never shared photos of it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":129663,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[124,27,1148,26,161],"tags":[4004,699,4007,4008,4073,12124,472,877,707,12126,12125,4094,4075,3976,4740,2315,12127,6867,30,3996,4014,4095],"class_list":["post-93538","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-utah","category-western-grebes","tag-adult","tag-aechmophorus-occidentalis","tag-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","tag-box-elder-county","tag-breeding-season","tag-checking","tag-eggs","tag-grebe","tag-grebes-2","tag-incubate","tag-incubating","tag-marsh","tag-nest","tag-nesting","tag-settling","tag-summer-3","tag-turn","tag-turning","tag-utah-2","tag-water","tag-western-grebe","tag-wetlands"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/western-grebe-and-eggs-mia-mcpherson-5187.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-okG","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":150809,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/07\/25\/nesting-western-grebe-photos-from-bear-river-mbr-in-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":93538,"position":0},"title":"Nesting Western Grebe Photos From Bear River MBR In Utah","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 25, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning I\u2019m sharing two nesting Western Grebe photos that were taken at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in northern Utah.","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":"Nesting Western Grebe, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebe-on-nest-mia-mcpherson-4541.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebe-on-nest-mia-mcpherson-4541.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebe-on-nest-mia-mcpherson-4541.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebe-on-nest-mia-mcpherson-4541.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":101210,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/03\/29\/clarks-and-western-grebe-images\/","url_meta":{"origin":93538,"position":1},"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, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/clarks-grebe-spring-mia-mcpherson-5961.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/clarks-grebe-spring-mia-mcpherson-5961.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":64134,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/02\/12\/will-grebes-nest-this-year-at-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":93538,"position":2},"title":"Will Grebes Nest This Year At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge?","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 12, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"When I was at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge three days ago I realized that in just a few weeks the Clark's and Western Grebes will be returning to the marshes for their breeding season.","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":"Western Grebes on nest, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebes-on-nest-mia-mcpherson-9197.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebes-on-nest-mia-mcpherson-9197.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebes-on-nest-mia-mcpherson-9197.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebes-on-nest-mia-mcpherson-9197.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":56402,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/03\/04\/preening-western-grebe-at-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":93538,"position":3},"title":"Preening Western Grebe At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 4, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Migrating Western Grebes are already being reported at Utah Lake, Bountiful Pond and Farmington Bay WMA and before too long they will be found at other locations here in northern Utah.","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":"Preening Western Grebe and reflection, Bear River National Wildlife Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebe-preening-mia-mcpherson-1913.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebe-preening-mia-mcpherson-1913.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebe-preening-mia-mcpherson-1913.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebe-preening-mia-mcpherson-1913.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14739,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/04\/11\/clarks-grebes-and-their-young\/","url_meta":{"origin":93538,"position":4},"title":"Clark’s Grebes And Their Young","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 11, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Clark's Grebes and their young are fascinating subjects to watch and photograph.","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":"Juvenile Clark's Grebe and prey at 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-chick-prey-mia-mcpherson-7796.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-chick-prey-mia-mcpherson-7796.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-chick-prey-mia-mcpherson-7796.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/clarks-grebe-chick-prey-mia-mcpherson-7796.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5171,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/06\/12\/hitching-a-ride-grebe-chicks\/","url_meta":{"origin":93538,"position":5},"title":"Hitching A Ride – Grebe Chicks","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 12, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Grebe chicks are showing up all over at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge (aka Bear River National Wildlife Refuge) in northern Utah and they are just adorable to see and photograph.","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":"Adult Western Grebe with three chicks on its back, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebes-mia-mcpherson-6735.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebes-mia-mcpherson-6735.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebes-mia-mcpherson-6735.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/western-grebes-mia-mcpherson-6735.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93538","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=93538"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93538\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/129663"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=93538"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=93538"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=93538"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}