Horned Grebes in Full Breeding Colors

After last weeks trip to Theler Wetlands I went to the Port Orchard Public Marina to see if the Horned Grebes were in full breeding color.

They were.

Horned Grebe in breeding colors

Unlike the week before when most were in various stages of changing color, this week most were in full breeding colors.

Horned Grebe in breeding colors

I’m totally amazed by their transformation from a small, inconspicuous bird to this.

Horned Grebe in breeding colors

I’m pretty sure that if they had a Common Loon’s wail that people would be calling them demonic birds.

Amazingly, despite their brilliant stripes, they actually seem harder to spot in the water than in their white plumage.

2 thoughts on “Horned Grebes in Full Breeding Colors”

  1. Loren,
    Before I saw you at Port Orchard, a fisherman stopped to chat while loading his boat. He was quite the talker and told me a helldiver had become entangled in his net and stabbed him through the hand when he tried to free it. I had never heard of a helldiver. He said it was a bird with bright red eyes. If you google helldiver grebe you will find that grebe are known as helldivers. However, it particularly applies to Pied-billed Grebes, so they apparently got the name for reasons other than their demonic appearance.

    1. Love it, John. I did follow up on that search.

      I love how outraged hunters become when something disrupts their hunting trip.

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