![\"western](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/western-grebe-1305-ron-dudley.jpg\")
1\/2500, f\/8, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nI photographed this grebe family late last month at Bear River MBR. By this time the chicks were large enough that only two of the three siblings could fit on the back of a parent at the same time so one of them was usually trailing behind\u00a0an adult and the other two youngsters while the other parent was out fishing. Occasionally\u00a0the straggler\u00a0would attempt to climb on board but it would always slide back into the drink.<\/p>\n
I’m quite fond of this image because I was able to get at least some light in the eyes of all four birds (a small miracle with the chicks), the crown patch is clearly visible in two of them and I like the reflections on the water of both the background vegetation and the birds.<\/em><\/p>\n Eventually the chick that was “hoofin’ it” did find a temporary\u00a0solution to its problem.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/1000, f\/13, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n It simply climbed onto the back of\u00a0the other parent\u00a0where it seemed to revel in the fact that it had that taxi all to itself. This didn’t last long though because one of the adults was nearly always out fishing.<\/p>\n In Western Grebes sexes are similar but the female is smaller. That sexual dimorphism is apparent here with the larger adult\u00a0male on the right.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When Western Grebe chicks get large enough, back brooding all the siblings becomes problematic.<\/p>\n![\"western](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/western-grebe-1541-ron-dudley.jpg\")
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