Pied-Billed Grebe
Podilymbus podiceps
Given a full cycle of the seasons, Pied-Billed Grebes will show up anywhere in North America from southern-central Canada to Central America. In the USA they are year-round residents everywhere except New England and west through the Great Lakes to Montana and south to Kansas and Missouri and the northern Appalachians, from where they retreat south in winter.
They build floating nests of reeds and grasses among tall plants in water over 9 inches deep. If conditions are right, Pied-Billed Grebes may raise two broods a season. Habitat losses from wetland destruction are a threat to these birds. Over most of its range, the population is surviving well, but in New England, they have become threatened or endangered.
It’s been my experience these grebes are pretty easy to find on ponds, lakes and slow-moving streams throughout the western USA, especially if they vocalize. These relentless guardians of the marsh are capable of a variety of calls and sometimes perform lively duets that we can hear at a great distance. I’ve had the pleasure of their company in many locations throughout the western USA, from my neighborhood in southern California and north across the state to Oregon, and in Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. More recently, I found them in Canada and Nebraska.
Taxonomists recognise three subspecies of Pied-Billed Grebe:
- P. p. podiceps breeds from south-central Canada to Panama. They spend winters in southern USA, Central America, and the West Indies.
- P. p. antillarum lives in the Caribbean on the Greater and Lesser Antilles.
- P. p. antarcticus lives from Panama and Colombia south to Chile and Argentina.
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, 17 miles west of Brigham City Utah. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:12 7:49 |
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Location:
Bear River |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/400 |
File Name: D3X1664-PiedBilledGrebe |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: Resident species at Santee Lakes in Santee, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2015:07:05 10:02 |
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Location:
Santee Lakes |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/200 |
File Name: D3X2253-PiedBilledGrebe |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: Dairy Mart Ponds at The Tijuana River Valley Regional Park, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:05:03 11:21 |
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Location:
Dairy Mart Ponds |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 |
File Name: D3X5731-PiedBilledGrebe |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: Juvenile at Kumeyaay Lake, Mission Trails Regional Park, near Santee, California in San Diego County 2009-05-01. |
Date Taken: 2009:05:01 16:17 |
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Location:
Mission Trails Regional Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: jcd7065.PiedBilledGrebe |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: Mother and child at Kumeyaay Lake, Mission Trails Regional Park, near Santee, California in San Diego County 2009-05-01. |
Date Taken: 2009:05:01 16:47 |
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Location:
Mission Trails Regional Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: jcd7116.PiedBilledGrebe |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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Description: Ramer Lake. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:11:25 15:09 |
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Location:
Ramer Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: JCD7253.PiedBilledGrebe |
| © 2009 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: Kumeyaay Lake, Mission Trails Regional Park, near Santee, California in San Diego County 2009-05-01. |
Date Taken: 2009:05:02 14:14 |
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Location:
Mission Trails Regional Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 |
File Name: jcd7616.PiedBilledGrebe |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: Tule Lake on the California border with Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2002:07:03 15:58 |
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Location:
Tulelake |
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Camera Information: Nikon SUPER COOLSCAN 4000 ED, |
File Name: A2G03b34-PiedBilledGrebe |
| © 2003 Jack Daynes, (shadetree-Imaging.com) |
Pied-billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: With Young at Whelan Lake. Near Oceanside, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2008:04:06 14:18 |
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Location:
Whelan Lake |
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Camera Information: Nikon SUPER COOLSCAN 4000 ED, |
File Name: A3E01c23-PiedBilledGrebe |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: With Young at Whelan Lake. Near Oceanside, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2006:05:13 14:52 |
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Location:
Whelan Lake |
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Camera Information: |
File Name: A3E01c37-PiedBilledGrebe |
| © 2006 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: Bosque del Apache NWR. Near Socorro, New Mexico 2005-02-15. |
Date Taken: 2003:10:05 14:28 |
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Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/320 |
File Name: JCD_3402PiedBilledGrebe |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: Many birds are attracted to the stored water in Ayer Lake at the Boyce-Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona. It is a well-known desert oasis and a great place to meet birds. |
Date Taken: 2019:10:23 16:53 |
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Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D5X4664-Boyce-Thompson-Arboretum |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: Many birds are attracted to the stored water in Ayer Lake at the Boyce-Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona. It is a well-known desert oasis and a great place to meet birds. |
Date Taken: 2019:10:23 11:09 |
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Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D5X3537-Boyce-Thompson-Arboretum |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: Juvenile at Malheur NWR in southeastern Oregon, west of Steens Mountains and south of Burns Oregon. Harney County. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:30 12:11 |
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Location:
Narrows |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe-Juvenile_D5X9073-MalheurNWR |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: These grebes are likely resident at Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, a state run reserve near Gridley California in Butte County. |
Date Taken: 2017:09:14 14:13 |
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Location:
Gray Lodge Wildlife Area |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D5X2147-GrayLodge-WLA |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: Imperial Beach, San Diego, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:03:21 10:21 |
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Location:
Otay River |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 |
File Name: D3X1833-PiedBilledGrebe |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: New babies at the Dairy Mart Ponds in The Tijuana River Valley Regional Park, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:05:03 12:05 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Regional Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 |
File Name: D3X5819-PiedBilledGrebe-Chicks |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: Juvenile at the Dairy Mart Ponds, in the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:06:13 9:19 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Regional Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 |
File Name: D3X9401-PiedBilledGrebe-Juvenile |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: Dairy Mart Ponds in The Tijuana River Valley Regional Park, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:05:03 11:33 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Regional Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X5760-PiedBilledGrebe |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: Dairy Mart Ponds at The Tijuana River Valley Regional Park, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:05:03 11:34 |
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Location:
Dairy Mart Ponds |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 |
File Name: D3X5765-PiedBilledGrebe |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 13:22 |
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Location:
Aransas NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/2500 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D500271-Aransas-NWR |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: This image is one of my favorites from this day. I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 13:25 |
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Location:
Aransas NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/2500 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D500333-Aransas-NWR |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 13:25 |
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Location:
Aransas NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/2500 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D500345-Aransas-NWR |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 13:25 |
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Location:
Aransas NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/2500 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D500353-Aransas-NWR |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: My second day at Aransas NWR on Monday, was only a half day, mostly spent at Heron Flats. The cranes that eluded me on Sunday gave themselves to me on this morning, as did some other nice birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:16 9:39 |
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Location:
Aransas NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/1000 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D501873-Aransas-NWR |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: I drove to Aransas NWR late Saturday, but my first serious explorations were on Sunday, when I fell in love with Heron Flats, though my explorations carried me all the way to the "Big Tree" tower. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:15 10:40 |
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Location:
Aransas NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/2000 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D509964-Aransas-NWR |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: These are birds I met at the Gilbert Water Ranch, or Riparian Preserve which is located in the middle of the Valley of the Sun, or the Greater Phoenix Metropolian area, Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2020:02:23 8:49 |
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Location:
Gilbert Water Ranch |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/6400 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D5X0333-GilbertArizona |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: Ayers Lake is more like a large pond, and on this morning the only waterfowl on the water was a lone coot and this lone grebe (Pied-Billed). I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 8:53 |
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Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D5X0307-BoyceThompson |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
|
Description: Ayers Lake is more like a large pond, and on this morning the only waterfowl on the water was a lone coot and this lone grebe (Pied-Billed). I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 8:53 |
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Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D5X0301-BoyceThompson |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: The only members of the grebe clan I’ve met near the Convention Center have been Pied-Billed Grebes. Last spring I learned how productive South Padre Island can be for birding. This was my first visit in winter, and it did not disappoint. |
Date Taken: 2021:01:19 12:12 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D5X2617-SouthPadreIsland |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: At Jones Lake, all the ducks flew to the far side of the pond. Not these grebes. Monday I took a quick tour at Aransas NWR. It was windy and raining, and so I kept my camera gear stowed in the RV, but I climbed the Big Tree Tower and saw lots of Black and Turkey Vultures perched in the trees below the tower. With better weather Tuesday, I set out to capture some closeups. |
Date Taken: 2021:03:02 9:24 |
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Location:
Aransas NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D5X7118-Aransas-NWR |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: Most water bodies I visited in Texas had several pairs of Pied-Billed Grebes on patrol. I drove this Wednesday to Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge, but found its gates locked, so as a consolation prize, I continued to San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge, where I found birds that hadn’t left Texas yet for the winter. |
Date Taken: 2021:03:10 11:37 |
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Location:
San Bernard NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D5X1717-SanBernard_NWR |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: Pied-Billed Grebes patrolled the waters at the edges of the pond. I broke camp at High Island early Monday and set a course for nearby Anahuac National Wildlife Reserve. There are several roads to explore there, but I chose the loop around Shoveler Pond. |
Date Taken: 2021:03:08 10:44 |
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Location:
Anahuac NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D5X1005-Anahuac_NWR |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: At 6:15am I was the first guest at the preserve and I stayed until 12:30. Bird Viewing Preserve in Henderson, southern Nevada. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:09 8:18 |
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Location:
Bird Viewing Preserve |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D5X7534-Henderson-BVP |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: Ayers Lake is more like a large pond, and on this morning the only waterfowl on the water was a lone coot and this lone grebe (Pied-Billed). I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 8:52 |
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Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D5X0267-BoyceThompson |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: At 6:15am I was the first guest at the preserve and I stayed until 12:30. Bird Viewing Preserve in Henderson, southern Nevada. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:09 11:08 |
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Location:
Bird Viewing Preserve |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D5X8436-Henderson-BVP |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: At 6:15am I was the first guest at the preserve and I stayed until 12:30. Bird Viewing Preserve in Henderson, southern Nevada. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:09 8:18 |
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Location:
Bird Viewing Preserve |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D5X7550-Henderson-BVP |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: Most of the grebes at Lake Kimiwan were tending to babies. Yet these Pied-Billed Grebes didn’t have any young in tow. |
Date Taken: 2022:07:05 8:53 |
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Location:
Kimiwan Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_8509001-KimiwanLake.AB_ |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
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Description: Pied-Billed Grebes seem to be at every waterhole I visit in Texas. Sabal Palm Sanctuary is only five miles from where I camp in Brownsville. My last visit was late January 2021 and felt it was time to get reacquainted. I couldn’t have picked a better day. There was glorious weather and wonderful birds. |
Date Taken: 2021:03:19 10:48 |
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Location:
Sabal Palm Sanctuary |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D5X3859-SabalPalmSanctuary |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Pied-Billed Grebe(Podilymbus podiceps) |
|
Description: Pied-Billed Grebes patrolled the waters at the edges of the pond. I broke camp at High Island early Monday and set a course for nearby Anahuac National Wildlife Reserve. There are several roads to explore there, but I chose the loop around Shoveler Pond. |
Date Taken: 2021:03:08 10:44 |
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Location:
Anahuac NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: PiedBilledGrebe_D5X0992-Anahuac_NWR |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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