ML224965151

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Present since 16 Sept when seen at greater distance into harsh light. Not identified then with certainty, although head shape and overall size and coloration suggested it was this species. Today I studied the bird in good light and at closer range, albeit still quite distant. The bird was seen swimming, preening, and diving. It was near Red-necked Grebes at times, and near eiders much of the rest of the time. It did not closely associate with those birds, however. Noted today: small grebe 1/2 to 2/3 the size of adjacent Red-necked Grebe. Head shape studied carefully and showed a peak over or just behind eye when relaxed, but when more alert, the crown was held more steeply forward and the peak would appear to be over or in front of eye. There was a slight notch behind the crest at the nape and then an abrupt tapering to a slender neck. The body was small and rounded, with the hind end tapering to the waterline. Blackish crown and hindneck; paler, grayish foreneck; pale area in cheek or auricular area forming an irregular blotch on the side of the face. The breast and belly/lower sides were dingy whitish. The bill appeared fine, pointed and very short. I could not discern tip or eye color. Given the distance, I am not confident about ageing this individual. This is a rare but regular visitor to the Northeast, with most records September to March, but also several summering records. Apart from several early sight records, the first firmly documented record of this species in Maine was a bird found by Lysle Brinker 2 September 2006 at Sanford wastewater treatment ponds. (I saw that bird.) That bird or another returned to summer at the same locality from May to September in 2009 and 2010. There are several records of Eared Grebes on saltwater along the East coast, but this may be the first documented from Maine.

Technical information

Model

COOLPIX P5100

ISO

800

Focal length

10.1 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/7.7

Shutter speed

1/950 sec

Dimensions

2400 pixels x 1800 pixels

Original file size

1.55 MB