[SBB] Alternate Horned Grebes at Shoreline Lake

[Eric Goodill <[[email protected]]>]

Hi all,

Inspired by Tom Grey's wonderful pictures of the alternate-plumaged 
Eared Grebe recently posted to SBB, I decided to see if I could find 
these birds this afternoon and try for a few digiscoped pictures. No 
luck finding the Eared Grebes, but I did find alternate-plumaged HORNED 
GREBES (one pair).

http://homepage.mac.com/ericgmac/Birding/Photos/HOGR1.jpg

It's neat how the breast is still a mixture of basic and alternate 
feathers and how much of a "hood" it forms.

Thanks to Matthew Dodder for correcting me when I first named these as 
Eared Grebes (was working on picture taking--not birding--bad mistake).

Along the pathways around the lake were numerous WHITE and GOLDEN 
CROWNED SPARROWS. I had expected not to see any GOLDENS since they left 
my yard a few weeks ago. Also saw my first FORSTER'S TERNS of the 
season. A single WESTERN GREBE appeared. The PIED-BILLED GREBES were 
interesting to watch as they precisely controlled their buoyancy. Due 
to the wind and the nice weather, numerous boats were on the lake which 
had the birds running from this side then to that side. The PBGRs would 
just submerge straight down without diving. Then, after a few moments, 
just half the head would appear to check if the coast was clear, then 
the whole head for a more thorough look around. (I had two of these 
doing this side by side, and it looked choreographed.) Finally, the 
whole body would arise from the water as if lifted by an underwater 
platform. That's so cool!

The Painted Lady butterflies were still abundant. I kept watching for 
birds to pick these out of the air of off the ground, but I never saw 
it.

Good birding, Eric Goodill
Menlo Park

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