Western Grebe
Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) breeds on freshwater lakes over a large swathe of western North America, often in large colonies. It winters at the coast, including the Baja peninsula where I took this, but it doesn't breed in Baja. I have always found them to be a bit wary and difficult to photograph close, but I managed to take this from a small boat as we slowly cruised a mangrove at San Ignacio lagoon. Although I have seen them many times this very different photo is the only previous one I have ever posted of Western Grebe:
www.flickr.com/photos/timmelling/8597439318/in/photolist Its scientific name Aechmophorus translates as spear-carrier, referring to its long, sharp bill. Occidentalis simply means western
Western Grebe
Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) breeds on freshwater lakes over a large swathe of western North America, often in large colonies. It winters at the coast, including the Baja peninsula where I took this, but it doesn't breed in Baja. I have always found them to be a bit wary and difficult to photograph close, but I managed to take this from a small boat as we slowly cruised a mangrove at San Ignacio lagoon. Although I have seen them many times this very different photo is the only previous one I have ever posted of Western Grebe:
www.flickr.com/photos/timmelling/8597439318/in/photolist Its scientific name Aechmophorus translates as spear-carrier, referring to its long, sharp bill. Occidentalis simply means western