RH Speirs | Photographer - Pied-billed Grebe (Cont.)

This is a continuation page/gallery of the Pied-billed Grebe photos I captured on May 23rd at the Marshall Springs ponds in Fish Creek Provincial Park. To go directly to the first (of two) page/gallery of the Pied-billed Grebe, click/tap here. A fairly detailed description of my experience during this encounter can be found there.

Pied-billed Grebe, Marshall Springs, Fish Creek Provincial Park, Calgary, AB - May 23rd

Over these next few photos, a pretty good, unobstructed, straight on view of what the bird looks like when calling.

Pied-billed Grebe, Marshall Springs, Fish Creek Provincial Park, Calgary, AB - May 23rd

At this point, the bird was very much partially blocked, but still visible for sure. It looked as though it was going to settle down for a nap on some floating vegetation among the growing plant life.

Pied-billed Grebe, Marshall Springs, Fish Creek Provincial Park, Calgary, AB - May 23rd

Then, that floating vegetation, the bird was situated on top of, started moving. It was a floating platform, like a raft. Much to my good fortune, the extremely slow current of the pond just inched the raft closer and closer back into my very limited shooting lanes/windows, between the growing plant life, and out from behind the thicker, unshootable through, plant life..it was drifting from right to left. The current could have easily been going the other direction, and then I wouldn't have been able to get any of the following photos. Also, notice the little stowaway in the birds back.

Pied-billed Grebe, Marshall Springs, Fish Creek Provincial Park, Calgary, AB - May 23rd

Bird's kind of looking back at me here (below), over its shoulder, and in my mind it's saying "check out how clever I am atop my raft", just carefree, lazily, floating away on a gorgeous early morning.

Pied-billed Grebe, Marshall Springs, Fish Creek Provincial Park, Calgary, AB - May 23rd

Once the raft drifted beyond my shooting lanes, and behind some very thick plant life to my left, I used that opportunity to, first of all get up and stretch, and then move over to the other side of the real thick stuff, off to my left, all while the bird couldn't see me. I repositioned myself in a pretty good spot, nice and clear, no obstructions, before the raft drifted back into view, from the right now. Again, the bird spotted me instantly, but because I remained as motionless as possible it didn't seem to be bothered by my presence in the least.

Pied-billed Grebe, Marshall Springs, Fish Creek Provincial Park, Calgary, AB - May 23rd

"Hey, you there, bet you wish you were as cool as me right now" it's saying.

Pied-billed Grebe, Marshall Springs, Fish Creek Provincial Park, Calgary, AB - May 23rd

I like the way the light is hitting the face, and eye, in these next few shots.

Pied-billed Grebe, Marshall Springs, Fish Creek Provincial Park, Calgary, AB - May 23rd

Calling out to its fellow species, and the other nearby wildlife I suppose.

Pied-billed Grebe, Marshall Springs, Fish Creek Provincial Park, Calgary, AB - May 23rd

Ah yes, that look (below)! This is what all bird species do when the alarm gets sounded, courtesy of the Red-wing Blackbird network (they very much dominate, and completely control the airspace above the ponds at this time of year)..even I do the look now, as I spend so much time down at these ponds. When the alarm sounds (a certain call the Red-wings make) it means a raptor/predator has been sighted within the area. The alarm is very helpful for me, because the predator birds are among my top priority when it comes to taking photos down at the ponds. I kind of somewhat rely on that alarm sound now, and don't really bother to consistently occasionally look up, side to side, and behind me for the predator birds the way I used to..once you learn the very reliable alarm sound it's not necessary to look as much. Allows me to give the birds on the pond surfaces/ground my undivided attention.

Pied-billed Grebe, Marshall Springs, Fish Creek Provincial Park, Calgary, AB - May 23rd

And that was that. The Pied-billed Grebe got down off of the floating platform, and slowly made its way out to the middle of the pond, out of camera range. I've been back to the Marshall Springs ponds several times since these photos were taken, and during none of those visits did I see a Pied-billed Grebe, making these photos all the more special to me.

Pied-billed Grebe, Marshall Springs, Fish Creek Provincial Park, Calgary, AB - May 23rd

Pied-billed Grebe (Cont.) - Calgary, AB

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