ML66472331

Age and sex

Immature Unknown sex - X

Observation details

Found by John Groves and Richard Hermosillo this morning. Located on the pond behind the interpretive center. At first heard only, but responded aggressively to clapping, calling and swimming closer to my side of the pond. Call a drawn out "grrreeep" Tiny size, though there were no other birds on the pond, it was clearly as small if not smaller in appearance than a Pied-billed Grebe. Overall dark sooty colored with a rufousy breast visible just above the water-line. Throat and forehead appeared darker (depending on the lighting). Undertail appeared whitish. Bill was longer and thinner than a Pied-billed, but thicker than an Eared or Horned Grebe. Bill was dark. Bright golden-yellow iris stood in sharp contrast to the otherwise dark face. The rufous underparts seem to suggest this is a young bird as does the relatively light body coloration. I believe this is a second county record.

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS 20D

ISO

200

Focal length

400 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/5.6

Shutter speed

1/200 sec

Dimensions

1558 pixels x 1039 pixels

Original file size

373.25 KB