Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2002-37
| Common name: |
Red-necked Grebe |
| Scientific name: | Podiceps grisegena |
| Date: | November 17 - 19, 2002 |
| Time: | 1445 pm |
| Length of time observed: | 1 hour |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | Juvenile |
| Sex: | |
| Location: | Quail Creek Reservoir |
| County: | Washington |
| Latilong: | 19 |
| Elevation: | ~ 900 m |
| Distance to bird: | 50 - 500+ meters |
| Optical equipment: | Kowa TSN 823 scope, 20-60x eyepiece |
| Weather: | Clear and calm |
| Light Conditions: | from full light to shade |
| Detailed description of bird: | Medium sized Grebe (larger than nearby Eared and Pied-billed Grebes but smaller than nearby Western Grebes), with a plump body, relatively long, thick neck, large squarish head, and long stout bill. Uniform dark brown upper body. White chest and belly. Brownish-red neck. Contrasting white cheek patches. Black and white striped face (black stripes extending back from above and below the eye, longest above the eye, medium length stripe below the eye, and a very short black stripe extending back from the base of the bill). Dark (black) crown extending from base of bill through eye to nape of neck. Long, stout, 'loon-like' bill. Upper mandible straight, mostly (2/3) yellow with black base. Yellow lower mandible strongly upturned towards tip. Black and white wings visible when the grebe stretched (white leading edge from body to wrist, black greater coverts, white secondaries, black primaries). [see photos] |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | No vocalizations were heard. |
| Behavior: | Observed the grebe sleeping, swimming and diving. Lunged forward when diving. |
| Habitat: | Deep water below the dam at Quail Creek Reservoir |
| Similar
species and how were they eliminated: |
Distinguished from Western and Clark's Grebes by smaller size and dark on front of neck. Distinguished from smaller grebes by large bill, yellow on bill, and relatively large head. Distinguished from loons by shape and size. |
| Previous experience with this & similar species: | Although it has been a few years, I have seen many wintering Red-necked Grebes on the Oregon and New England coasts. |
| References consulted: | |
| Description from: | Notes taken at time of sighting |
| Observer: | Rick Fridell |
| Observer's address: | 3505 West 290 North, Hurricane, UT 84737 |
| Observer's e-mail address: | rfridell@redrock.net |
| Other
observers who independently identified this bird: |
Kristen Comella, Steve Summers, Charlie Sheard, Kevin Wheeler, Joel and Kathy Beyers, Bill Hunter |
| Date prepared: | 11-19-02 (General Public) |
| Additional material: | Photos |
| Additional comments: | Photos were taken (on 11/19/02) through Kowa scope with a digital camera |