Eared Grebe - 08 Apr 2016

A large number of Horned Grebes have been seen moving through the Great Lakes Region the past few days. An Eared Grebe has been seen in several locations in SE Michigan, including Sterling State Park in Monroe Co. Today, Jeff Stacey posted that one in breeding plumage was ridiculously close to shore just inside the park.

I decided to run down to Sterling State Park after work to look for the Eared Grebe. I arrived just after 3:30 pm and saw Pat Jakel in his truck looking across the road to the marsh on my left. The Eared Grebe was swimming next to shore just 40' away.

I grabbed the scope and digiscoped it from the road, then waited until it dove to move closer. It paid us no mind and allowed me to get some nice digiscoped images from 30' away with the new Sony a6300 attached to the 20-75X Zoom Eyepiece.

By 4 pm I was heading back home. The Eared Grebe swam out to the middle of the pond to join as many as 13 Horned Grebes swimming together. Several more were in the pond on the other side of the road as I drove out.

Sterling SP, Monroe, Michigan, US
Apr 8, 2016 3:30 PM - 3:50 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
2 species

Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)  13     In the same pond as the Eared Grebe. Exact count. The Eared Grebe joined them after swimming near shore.
Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)  1     An Eared Grebe has been seen in several locations in SE Michigan, including Sterling State Park in Monroe Co. Today, Jeff Stacey posted that one in breeding plumage was ridiculously close to shore just inside the park.I decided to run down to Sterling State Park after work to look for the Eared Grebe. I arrived just after 3:30 pm and saw Pat Jakel in his truck looking across the road to the marsh on my left. The Eared Grebe was swimming next to shore just 40' away.

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S161603477

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