Yesterday I was at Simpson Point landing scanning Middle Bay (this is south of Brunswick off Mere Point Rd). It was 10 a.m. and just an hour or so before high tide. I saw a small grebe way out but generally a bit east of straight down the bay. The bird consistently showed a peaked crown, with the peak over the middle to forward part of the head (i.e. a steep forehead). It had a darkish face and dusky neck. It appeared to be an Eared Grebe based on head shape and pattern, but given the distance, I couldn't be sure. Gordon Smith refound the bird today in the same general area. Again, it was distant. Gordon noted that below the darker cap, the cheek and neck area was gray and that a dusky color seemed to cover most of the neck. His impression was that the bird looked more like an Eared than a Horned Grebe, but he too could not commit. Sometimes birds need to left unidentified, and that may be the case with this bird.
Horned and Eared Grebes are normally not difficult to separate, even at a distance; so I'm a bit baffled. Distance is the real problem in attempting to verify characters. There are many records of Eared Grebes on saltwater along the East Coast, including at this time of year; so it's a possibility. I post this in case anyone is interested in a challenge. There is at least one Red-necked Grebe out there as well as an obvious (white-cheeked) Horned Grebe a few days ago.
Louis Bevier
Fairfield
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