Backyard and Beyond

Starting out from Brooklyn, an amateur naturalist explores our world.

As John Burroughs said, “The place to observe nature is where you are.”

Coastal Brooklyn, Part II

Podiceps grisegenaSo much depends on light and distance. The Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) above was sun-ward and far.Podiceps auritusThis Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) was sun-struck and near. Both of these species have very different breeding plumages, which they are named after (that’s not so helpful to those of us so far south of their breeding grounds). I saw the Horned Grebe (a.k.a the Slovenian Grebe) in breeding finery in Iceland and was astonished at the transformation.

Podiceps grisegenaThe Red-necked is a rather larger bird — 4″ longer in length, 6″ longer in wingspan — but in these images, absent scale, the most striking difference is the bill length, with the Red-necked being substantially larger.Podiceps auritusI was surprised by the weights of these birds, which Sibley gives as 2.2lb (1000g) for the Red-necked, and 1lb (450g) for the Horned, but then, they are divers, and need to fight their own buoyancy. Horned are more common in local waters, with four of them to the one Red-necked, that day in the Erie Basin.

mthew

, , ,

3 responses to “Coastal Brooklyn, Part II”

  1. elwnyc

    I am so glad to see these birds here, as I have been very reluctant to venture out into this winter’s chill. Not as good as seeing them in person, but a lot better than not seeing them at all.

    Thank you for your fortitude and your sharing your views!

    Reply
  2. Sights | Backyard and Beyond

    […] I do appreciate the random crest feathers.Unexpectedly, a Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena). I last ran into one in February. The red of the neck, breeding plumage, looks like it is just starting to come in. The bird was […]

    Reply
  3. More Maine Birds | Backyard and Beyond

    […] grisegena) in full breeding array was near the long breakwater in Rockland. You may remember the winter plumage birds who visited Brooklyn this winter.A Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis); from this angle, […]

    Reply

Leave a reply to More Maine Birds | Backyard and Beyond Cancel reply