|
English
and Scientific names: |
Red-necked
Grebe Podiceps grisgena
|
|
Number
of individuals: |
One, apparent first winter bird |
|
Locality:
LOUISIANA: |
Rapides |
|
Specific
Locality: |
Cotile Lake in southeast arm near opening of main body of
lake. |
|
Date(s)
when observed: |
November 22, 2009 |
|
Time(s)
of day when observed: |
Approximately 4:00 PM CST |
|
Reporting
observer and address: |
Jay V. Huner Boyce, LA 71409 |
|
Other observers
accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s): |
None |
|
Other observers who
independently identified the bird(s) |
None |
|
Light conditions
(position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light): |
Sky was over cast, late afternoon but good light and no
shadows. Lake was almost dead calm. |
|
Optical
equipment: |
Zeiss Binoculars 10 x 40 BT |
|
Distance
to bird(s): |
Probably about 300+ yards. |
|
Duration
of observation: |
.Approximately 5 minutes. |
|
Habitat:
|
Reservoir. Lake level has been dropped about 5 feet so
entire vista was filled with stumps and snags extending at least 4 feet above
water level. Bird was near main boat lane. |
|
Behavior
of bird: |
The bird was a grebe which was actively feeding. I watched
it for several minutes as it dove, emerged from each dive for a few seconds,
and dove again. It remained submerged about 15 seconds - quick count of 20,
remained on the surface 10-15 seconds and dove again. It was plunge diving -
actively rising up with the forward part of its breast clearing the water and
plunging down into the water. I never actually saw it with any prey in its
bill so if it was successful, it was consuming its catch under water. Perhaps
it continued its feeding - plunging/rising/plunging - because it was not successful
in finding prey? It was coming up just at the extreme edge of my binocular
field or just to the right of it. |
|
Description: |
I first saw a ripple suggesting that a bird was in the
water while scanning the stumps and snags for birds. The bird was often
coming up behind one of those obstacles. The bird I saw was clearly a grebe
but it had a long body compared to that of a Pied-billed Grebe. Its head was
rounded suggesting a first winter bird based on review of field guides. The
bill was long, at least as long as the head, and was clearly yellow, sort of
dagger shaped. A Double-crested Cormorant flew over the bird to provide for
comparison of approximate size and contrasting bill shapes of the two diving
waterbirds. The upper half of the bird was dark including the top of the
head. The breast, when exposed as the bird plunge was very light in contrast
to the back. The bird never flapped its wings, preened, or did anything that
would permit a better description. |
|
Voice: |
No Sounds. |
|
Similar species: |
A Double-crested Cormorant flew over the bird so it was
easy to tell that it was not a cormorant. The bird was simply not large enough
to be a loon. The bird was too large and bill too large/long for it to be one
of the small grebes - Pied-billed, Horned, or Eared. The bird was not large
enough nor did it have the long, white neck of Clark\'s Grebe or Western
Grebe. |
|
Photographs or tape
recordings obtained? |
None. |
|
Previous experience with
this species: |
I have seen Red-necked Grebes in Alaska a number of times
on trips to Alaska in 2007 and 2008. I was also with an expert birder in
around 1999 when he pointed out a very rare summering Red-necked Grebe in the
surf near Cape Hatteras, NC. |
|
Identification
aids: |
I first checked Sibley's field guide and subsequently used
the National Geographic field guide to satisfy my decision to identify the
bird as a Red-necked Grebe. |
|
This
description is written from: |
I made notes about 45 minutes after viewing the bird when
preparing an ebird report. The ebird report was for 11/22/2009 for Rapides
Parish, Louisiana |
|
Are you positive of your
identification? If not, explain: |
Yes. |
|
Date
and time: |
November 23, 2009, approximately
8:30 PM. |