The western grebe is the most popular bird on Clear Lake and this year a number of bird watchers are concerned that the overall population is down and that no baby grebes have been seen to date.
Normally by mid-June baby grebes can be seen throughout the lake riding on the backs of their mothers. You should also be able to see hundreds of nests during June but few are visible so far this spring. I was out on the lake Sunday and while I saw more than 100 grebes in the middle of the lake, I saw few in the traditional nesting areas, I didn’t see a single nest, and there were no babies riding on the backs of their mothers. I also checked out Rodman Slough on Monday and counted more than 150 grebes but didn’t see a nest or a chick.
So far this year I have not received a single report of anyone seeing a grebe chick. It could be that it is still too early for the grebes to nest, but I doubt it. I have been seeing grebes doing their mating dance, which means they could be just nesting late this year.
Western grebes nest on floating weed mats and they lay from three to four eggs. The young hatch in 24 days. The baby chicks leave the nest soon after being hatched and ride on the backs of their mothers until they are several weeks old.
This bird’s mating dance and behavior has drawn wildlife photographers from throughout the country to Lake County. The grebe population has fluctuated down through the years, dependent on nesting conditions and food sources. Minnows are their primary food source and this year there appears to be plenty of threadfin shad and other small minnows.
Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy observing one of Clear Lake’s most fascinating water birds. They are still doing their mating rituals, which includes running across the water and head-bobbing. Plus, there are enough grebes on the lake to observe them, you just have to travel around the lake more than usual.
Western grebes also eat clams and crayfish. They are the ultimate fisherman. I have seen them chase down small silverside minnows and pick them off one by one like pieces of popcorn.
Studies have shown that they capture most of their prey by stabbing them with their long and sharp beaks. However, with smaller fish, such as the silverside minnow, they will grab them with their beak. Most of the time they swallow their food underwater. Scientists believe they do this because it prevents other grebes from stealing their food. However, it’s common for a grebe to surface with a minnow in its mouth and offer to its mate or to the chicks.
The stomach of a western grebe is lined with downy types of feathers that are formed into a ball. It is believed the purpose for the feathery ball is to prevent sharp fish bones from penetrating the stomach lining.
It is their mating dance that draws most of the attention from birdwatchers. The male approaches the female and does a series of dips with his head. She responds with like dips and then they run across the surface of the water with their necks arched in perfect unison. Their final act is to dive exactly at the same time. This antic is called “rushing.”
Western grebes also perform what is called the “weed ceremony,” which occurs after the grebes have paired up and just before they start building nests. The pair will dive and bring up weeds in their bills. They face each other and do a spiral dance.
Of course, just about everyone knows that the chicks ride on backs of their mothers, but how they climb up there is also unusual. The mother extends her foot as a platform for the chick to climb up on. I didn’t believe that until one day I had the opportunity to observe a pair of chicks climb up on their mother several times during a period of about 30 minutes. Every time they used her foot as a platform.
Grebes nest well into August, but time is running out for this unusual bird to reproduce on Clear Lake.
