Bird of the Week – Horned Grebe
This is WC’s favorite grebe, and might be his favorite waterfowl species:
Horned Grebe
In breeding plumage, they are nothing less than spectacular, especially the male. The bright plumes don’t last long, but while they do there’s nothing in Interior Alaska that compares. They are also doting parents, whose zebra-striped kids are pretty cute, too.
Technical stuff: f6.3, 1/320, ISO200
More bird photos at Frozen Feather Images.
Just gorgeous!!!
Wow, avian jewels!
As always, a spectacularly gorgeous photo. Thanks so much, WC.
Alaska Pi, the Cornell bird website you link to has fabulous nestcams for egrets, peregrine falcons, and other birds around NYC (yes, there are egrets in Jamaica Bay and other NYC spots). I visit them often.
Slipstream, that’s the best photo of you — I had no idea you wore a zoot suit! I’ve always seen you in Carhartts and such. Loverly!
Ahhh Zyx, you say the nicest things.
But lass, ye haven’t seen the photo with me kilt, me belt and buckle, me bonnie Prince Charlie jacket, flashes, sporran, ghillie brogues, and sgian dubh.
Aye, tis a sight ‘twould melt yer heart.
Grebe spelled backwards is eberg,which is not a problem until winter makes it i-c-eberg. Food for thought. Low cal,low fat.totally useless trivia.
I see they’re taking the red-eye home.
😉
tcw
Wow!
Thank you WC!
Stunningly beautiful and vibrant colors.
I don’t know much about birds and didn’t know about breeding plumage . I’m familiar with some seasonal variation plumage types of birds and some where the male has his snappy “outfit” on all the time but didn’t know about this short term plumage change.
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/studying/feathers/plumagev/document_view
Cool.
Pi, you know . . . colorful breeding plumage.
Like this picture of slipstream in his younger days:
http://tinyurl.com/mj6gp2e
Prolly should have used a hen pheasant feather in your cap. Some people might look at you funny.
🙂
Love the zoot suit look slip!
Always have.
Well, for dinner , music, and dancing stuff.
Not so useful for chopping firewood, fishing, nor hunting…
“I would just like to say that it is my conviction
That longer hair and other flamboyant affectations
Of appearance are nothing more
Than the male’s emergence from his drab camoflage
Into the gaudy plumage
Which is the birthright of his sex
There is a peculiar notion that elegant plumage
And fine feathers are not proper for the man
When ac—tually
That is the way things are
In most species”
http://www.allmusicals.com/lyrics/hair/myconviction.htm
SSM in the avian world?