Eared Grebe
Podiceps nigricollis
The International Ornithological Committee (IOC) calls this bird the “Black-Necked Grebe”, but in North America, it is known as the “Eared Grebe”. They breed in vegetated areas of freshwater lakes across Europe, Asia, Africa, the western United States and southwestern Canada. In winter, they often migrate to super saline water bodies such as Mono Lake in California, and the Great Salt Lake in Utah. There they feast on the brine flies and brine shrimp that thrive in these locations.
Science recognises three forms of this species:
- P. n. nigricollis breeds in Europe and Asia. They spend winters from southern Europe east through southwestern Asia, eastern China and Japan.
- P. n. gurneyi lives in southern Africa.
- P. n. californicus breeds in North America. There are small pockets of habitat in Colorado, California, and southern Mexico where these birds remain year-round, but some migrate south for the winter as far as southern Mexico and northern Central America.
Even in their winter garb, the ruby-red eyes of Eared Grebes are captivating to observe. But when summer comes, and they don their breeding finery, they are a sight to behold. Most of my meetings have been in California, but I’ve also found them in Nevada, southern Oregon and even as far north as Grand Prairie and Lake Kimiwan in Alberta (Canada).
48 Photos
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Watching Peregrine overhead. San Digito River Mouth. Del Mar, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2006:02:02 11:40 |
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Location:
San Digito River |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 |
File Name: JCD1441EaredGrebe |
| © 2006 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Whelan Lake. Near Oceanside, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2009:02:20 22:56 |
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Location:
Whelan Lake |
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Camera Information: Nikon SUPER COOLSCAN 4000 ED, |
File Name: A3E01d36-EaredGrebe |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Western, Clarks, Pied-Billed and Eared Grebes can be found near the beach at Poe Road. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2010:12:10 9:03 |
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Location:
Poe Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/3200 |
File Name: JCD5868_EaredGrebe |
| © 2010 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Crystal Lake near Grand Prairie, Alberta, Canada. |
Date Taken: 2005:06:04 18:32 |
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Location:
Crystal Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 460 mm, f/5.6, 1/160 |
File Name: JCD3603EaredGrebe |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Crystal Lake near Grand Prairie, Alberta, Canada. |
Date Taken: 2005:06:04 18:26 |
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Location:
Crystal Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 |
File Name: JCD3575EaredGrebe |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: South San Diego Bay, California. |
Date Taken: 2006:03:04 11:40 |
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Location:
Boal |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/9.5, 1/320 |
File Name: JCD2122EaredGrebe |
| © 2006 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Near the Alamo River mouth at the Salton Sea. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:11:23 10:55 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 |
File Name: jcd1772EaredGrebe |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Poe Road. Salton Sea. Near Westmoreland in Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:10:21 10:07 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: D3X1172-EaredGrebe |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Henderson, Nevada outside of Las Vegas at the "Bird Viewing Preserve". |
Date Taken: 2015:05:05 10:45 |
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Location:
Bird Viewing Preserve |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: D3X9019-EaredGrebe |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Henderson, Nevada outside of Las Vegas at the "Bird Viewing Preserve". |
Date Taken: 2015:05:05 10:45 |
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Location:
Bird Viewing Preserve |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: D3X9011-EaredGrebe |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Henderson, Nevada outside of Las Vegas at the "Bird Viewing Preserve". |
Date Taken: 2015:05:05 10:40 |
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Location:
Bird Viewing Preserve |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: D3X8962-EaredGrebe |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Henderson, Nevada outside of Las Vegas at the "Bird Viewing Preserve". |
Date Taken: 2015:05:05 10:38 |
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Location:
Bird Viewing Preserve |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X8919-EaredGrebe |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: At the Tijuana River Estuary. Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2015:02:01 13:51 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Estuary |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X6321-EaredGrebe |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Poe Road. Salton Sea. Near Westmoreland in Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:10:21 10:21 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: D3X1265-EaredGrebe |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Ramer Lake. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:10:13 8:14 |
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Location:
Ramer Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X3582-EaredGrebe |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: These grebes seemed to prefer the waters far from the shoreline. This image was captured during a 4 hour vigil at the Mono Lake shore north of Lee Vining California. Summers at Mono Lake, when the algae blooms occur in this super-salty water, Brine-flies (or Alkali Flies) feed on the algae. Millions of birds, as many as 80 species feed on the fat and protein rich flies. |
Date Taken: 2019:08:20 16:09 |
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Location:
Mono Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/14.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: EaredGrebe_D5X5628-MonoLake |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: South Auto Tour Loop Road at Tule Lake. |
Date Taken: 2016:05:06 14:27 |
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Location:
Lower Klamath NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D721304-EaredGrebe |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: South Auto Tour Loop Road at Tule Lake. |
Date Taken: 2016:05:06 14:26 |
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Location:
Lower Klamath NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D721286-EaredGrebe |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Location is the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, south of Klamath Falls Oregon in California. |
Date Taken: 2016:05:05 14:16 |
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Location:
Lower Klamath NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: D721048-EaredGrebe |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: These birds were seen in the vicinity of the eastern shores of the Salton Sea. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:19 17:57 |
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Location:
Fondo |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/400 |
File Name: EaredGrebe-_D5X5193 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: These birds were seen in the vicinity of the eastern shores of the Salton Sea. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:19 17:54 |
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Location:
Fondo |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: EaredGrebe-_D5X5140 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: These birds were seen in the vicinity of the eastern shores of the Salton Sea. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:19 17:50 |
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Location:
Fondo |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/400 |
File Name: EaredGrebe-_D5X5105 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Poe Road. Salton Sea. Near Westmoreland in Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:10:21 10:19 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: D3X1258-EaredGrebe |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: The mouth of the San Luis Rey River in Oceanside, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:09:23 11:38 |
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Location:
San Luis Rey Rivermouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X0300-EaredGrebe |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Community of North Shore at the Salton Sea in Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:07:25 16:55 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X6317-EaredGrebe |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Community of North Shore at the Salton Sea in Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:07:25 16:57 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X6322-EaredGrebe |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Community of North Shore at the Salton Sea in Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:07:25 17:02 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X6340-EaredGrebe |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: This grebe was foraging on the side of the dock floats. Catfish Paradise is part of Lake Havasu National Wildlife Reserve. Near Topock Arizona in Mojave County. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:12 14:08 |
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Location:
Catfish Paradise |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/800 |
File Name: EaredGrebe_D5X2047-CatfishParadise |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: A good place to meet grebes is Catfish Paradise, part of Lake Havasu National Wildlife Reserve. Near Topock Arizona in Mojave County. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:12 14:37 |
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Location:
Topock Marsh |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/3200 |
File Name: EaredGrebe_D5X2222-CatfishParadise |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Poe Road. Salton Sea. Near Westmoreland in Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:10:21 10:15 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: D3X1233-EaredGrebe |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Poe Road. Salton Sea. Near Westmoreland in Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:10:21 10:11 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: D3X1213-EaredGrebe |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Horned Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:01:22 8:39 |
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Location:
Boal |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X0392-EaredGrebe |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:01:22 8:36 |
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Location:
Boal |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 |
File Name: D3X0375-EaredGrebe |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Pair sharing space with a Red-Breasted Merganser at Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2012:04:24 8:34 |
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Location:
Bayfront Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 |
File Name: D3X0886-EaredGrebe |
| © 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: Henderson, Nevada outside of Las Vegas at the "Bird Viewing Preserve". |
Date Taken: 2015:05:05 10:42 |
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Location:
Bird Viewing Preserve |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: D3X8981-EaredGrebe |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: I arrived late in the day at Dirty Socks Springs and tried to capture some last light images of the Eared Grebes near Olancha in Inyo County California, a few miles east of US-395. |
Date Taken: 2020:10:17 19:09 |
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Location:
Dirty Socks Spring |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: EaredGrebe_D5X6863-DirtySocksSprings |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: I arrived late in the day at Dirty Socks Springs and tried to capture some last light images of the Eared Grebes near Olancha in Inyo County California, a few miles east of US-395. |
Date Taken: 2020:10:17 19:09 |
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Location:
Dirty Socks Spring |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: EaredGrebe_D5X6860-DirtySocksSprings |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: I arrived late in the day at Dirty Socks Springs and tried to capture some last light images of the Eared Grebes near Olancha in Inyo County California, a few miles east of US-395. |
Date Taken: 2020:10:17 19:09 |
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Location:
Dirty Socks Spring |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: EaredGrebe_D5X6858-DirtySocksSprings |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: I found most of the grebes at Lake Kimiwan were tending to babies. My only regret was the stormy weather and distances to my subjects inhibited my ability to gather high-quality images. |
Date Taken: 2022:07:05 8:29 |
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Location:
Kimiwan Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: EaredGrebe_8508888-KimiwanLake.AB_ |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: I found most of the grebes and coots at Lake Kimiwan were tending to babies. My only regret was the stormy weather and distances to my subjects inhibited my ability to gather high-quality images. |
Date Taken: 2022:07:04 16:21 |
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Location:
Kimiwan Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: EaredGrebe_8508520-KimiwanLake.AB_ |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: My get-a-way drive from Yellowstone National Park carried me along the Yellowstone River. When I spotted a sizable waterfowl raft, I had to stop and visit them for a while. |
Date Taken: 2022:05:15 10:12 |
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Location:
Yellowstone River |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/4000 |
File Name: EaredGrebe_8500787-YellowstoneRiver |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: My get-a-way drive from Yellowstone National Park carried me along the Yellowstone River. When I spotted a sizable waterfowl raft, I had to stop and visit them for a while. |
Date Taken: 2022:05:15 10:11 |
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Location:
Yellowstone River |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/4000 |
File Name: EaredGrebe_8500772-YellowstoneRiver |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: I arrived late in the day at Dirty Socks Springs and tried to capture some last light images of the Eared Grebes near Olancha in Inyo County California, a few miles east of US-395. |
Date Taken: 2020:10:17 19:12 |
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Location:
Dirty Socks Spring |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: EaredGrebe_D5X6987-DirtySocksSprings |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: The region around the mouth of the Eel River, including Hookton Slough, has been a productive place to meet a variety of bird species. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:10 10:16 |
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Location:
Hookton Slough |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: EaredGrebe_8504362-HooktonSlough |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: These small grebes ranged over all quadrants of the deeper waters in the harbor. Waterfowl and shorebirds were the objects of my affection during the half-day I spent exploring Bodega Bay. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:06 11:38 |
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Location:
Bodega Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: EaredGrebe_8503484-BodegaBay |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
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Description: These small grebes ranged over all quadrants of the deeper waters in the harbor. Waterfowl and shorebirds were the objects of my affection during the half-day I spent exploring Bodega Bay. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:06 11:36 |
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Location:
Bodega Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: EaredGrebe_8503451-BodegaBay |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
|
Description: These small grebes ranged over all quadrants of the deeper waters in the harbor. Waterfowl and shorebirds were the objects of my affection during the half-day I spent exploring Bodega Bay. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:06 11:35 |
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Location:
Bodega Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: EaredGrebe_8503415-BodegaBay |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
|
Description: I arrived late in the day at Dirty Socks Springs and tried to capture some last light images of the Eared Grebes near Olancha in Inyo County California, a few miles east of US-395. |
Date Taken: 2020:10:17 19:10 |
|
Location:
Dirty Socks Spring |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: EaredGrebe_D5X6916-DirtySocksSprings |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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