Possibile Red-necked Grebe - Harriman Lake, Jeffco

[Regina King]

Birded Harriman Lake this morning 9-10 AM.

This small lake has recently undergone an "improvement" in conjunction with replacement of the 130-year old dam.  Completely drained for the past year-and-a half, it is now refilled.  Part of the improvement was to remove most of brushy areas along the south side and the shallow east end, including all of the cattails & reeds which used to maintain a nice population of muskrats, and provided good habitat for our local Great Blue Heron and an occasional egret . I heard the first of the singing Red-winged Blackbirds this morning, which I found surprising due to the lack of habitat for them now.   A couple of weeks ago a I posted newly arrived waterfowl including Wigeon, Red-heads, Ringnecks. Gadwall, Pintail, Coot, Green-winged Teal, Hooded Merganser, Canada Geese and Mallards, Killdeer and many Crows.  These all remain, the Teal are definitely paired-up, the Ring-necks and Redheads sleeping the in middle of the lake.  

Today I located a pair of grebes.  I think they might be Red-necked Grebes. Definitely larger than the Horned, Eared or Pied-billed, but smaller than the Western. I am pretty familiar with Western Grebe, and usually see a pair in this lake in spring and fall, and also at BCLP.  The birds I saw today had a shorter, somewhat thicker neck.  The lighting was such that I could not distinguish any color, but I don't think these were Western Grebes.

If anyone is interested in checking out these birds, Harrimann Lake is located at the southwest corner of S. Kipling & Quincy.  There is parking on the west side of Kipling, just south of Quincy on the north side of the firehouse.  The grebes were diving at the western (deeper) end of the lake.  I would appreciate hearing if anyone makes a positive id.

Regina King

Littleton, CO

[Dave Cameron]

I went down to check the grebes around noontime.  There was one winter-plumage Horned Grebe, and one breeding-plumage Horned Grebe, so at first, I took them to be your pair.  While walking around the west end of the lake, I spotted a third grebe.  It took a while staring at it, as it was very uncooperative (6 seconds up, 30 seconds down, repeatedly, and always with its back to me).  It was quite mottled-looking, but I finally decided it was an Eared Grebe in transitional plumage.  When I finally got onto the North side, I got the definitive look in the scope to confirm this-- the yellow 'ears' are just coming in, the eye was bright red, and the rest of the bird looked like it just crawled out of a coal pit-- all smeary and smudgy looking.  But anyway, it's an Eared. 

 

There is also a breeding-plumage Horned on Crown Hill lake right now.  Crown Hill, unfortunately, is VERY low, and the pond back in the bird sanctuary is completely dry. 

 

Dave Cameron

Denver

 

 

[Regina King]

Dave,

thanks for the ids and for the post.  Too bad they're not Red-necks, but I'm happy with any grebes.  Going back today with my scope.

Regina King

Littleton, CO