Jan 12--Hoary-headed Grebe at Elterwater

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sav
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Re: Jan 12--Hoary-headed Grebe reported at Elterwater

Postby sav » Fri Jan 26, 2018 10:27 pm

Hi all,

We had one Hoary-headed Gb this afternoon - right in front of the viewing platform.

Along with Grey Plover and Whiskered Tern, new birds for a Wrybill Birding Tours 21-day tour.

cheers
Sav Saville
Wrybill Birding Tours, NZ
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Matthias
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Re: Jan 12--Hoary-headed Grebe reported at Elterwater

Postby Matthias » Sat Jan 27, 2018 12:34 pm

I can confirm that there are three Hoary-headed Grebes. Two birds just went past the platform while a third bird was in the southwestern corner.

EDIT: In addition, there was one NZ Dabchick and two juvenile grebes.
Last edited by Matthias on Thu Feb 01, 2018 11:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Jan 12--Hoary-headed Grebe reported at Elterwater

Postby Matthias » Wed Jan 31, 2018 10:50 pm

Here are some photos from Saturday.

HoaryHeadedGrebe_LakeElterwater_MDehling_MD5386.jpg
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Two of the three Hoary-headed Grebes

HoaryHeadedGrebe_LakeElterwater_MDehling_MD5849.jpg
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Hoary-headed Grebe and NZ Dabchick

NZDabchick_LakeElterwater_MDehling_MD5587.jpg
NZDabchick_LakeElterwater_MDehling_MD5587.jpg (229.97 KiB) Viewed 3285 times
NZ Dabchick
Matthias
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Re: Jan 12--Hoary-headed Grebe at Elterwater

Postby Matthias » Thu Feb 01, 2018 11:47 pm

On Saturday there were also two juvenile grebes on Lake Elterwater but as I was not familiar with the juvenile plumages of all species, I was not sure to which species they belonged. I finally had time to study the photos in more detail (see below). According to the descriptions of juvenile plumages in HANZAB and the drawings in HANZAB and the Australian Bird Guide, it seems that these are juveniles of Hoary-headed Grebe (based on plumage colours, and especially the dark iris and the pattern of the head markings).
Does anyone have experience with the differences in the plumages of the juveniles of Hoary-headed Grebe and New Zealand Dabchick and can either confirm this or correct me? Apparently, the plumages are discussed in more detail in Storer (1987) Emu 87: 150-157. Does anyone have a .pdf of this article?
Cheers,
Matthias
Hoary-headed Grebe juvenile.jpg
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AlanShaw
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Re: Jan 12--Hoary-headed Grebe at Elterwater

Postby AlanShaw » Fri Feb 02, 2018 8:36 pm

The juveniles certainly look different to the NZ Dabchick juveniles, photographed at Taylor Dam in 2016.
See post:- Re: Dabchicks breeding near Blenheim by Mtn Breeze, Sun,Jan.10th,2016.
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Re: Jan 12--Hoary-headed Grebe at Elterwater

Postby GrahameNZ » Sat Feb 03, 2018 7:17 am

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Nick Allen
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Re: Jan 12--Hoary-headed Grebe at Elterwater

Postby Nick Allen » Sun Feb 04, 2018 11:42 pm

There are some photos of juv Hoary-heads here https://ebird.org/media/newzealand/catalog?taxonCode=hohgre1&q=Hoary-headed%20Grebe%20-%20Poliocephalus%20poliocephalus

and NZ Dabchick here: https://ebird.org/media/newzealand/catalog?taxonCode=nezgre1&q=New%20Zealand%20Grebe%20-%20Poliocephalus%20rufopectus

Wonder how variable the head markings are and how they moult out to plainer plumage, and the same with beak pattern/colouration and how that changes with time.

It's a shame pretty much all of the volumes of the Emu are behind a paywall these days - who's going to pay US$50 for 24 hours' access to material 30 years old?
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Neil Robertson
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Re: Jan 12--Hoary-headed Grebe at Elterwater

Postby Neil Robertson » Sat Feb 10, 2018 11:13 pm

Two Hoary-headed Grebes at Lake Elterwater this afternoon, seen from the platform. Also 4 Great-crested Grebes and 24 Royal Spoonbills present.
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RonRidout
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Re: Jan 12--Hoary-headed Grebe at Elterwater

Postby RonRidout » Wed Feb 14, 2018 6:09 pm

One Hoary-headed Grebe at Elterwater just out from the platform around 1 pm. today (Feb. 14). Also one Great Crested Grebe seen toward the southern end of the lake.
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Amber Calman
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Re: Jan 12--Hoary-headed Grebe at Elterwater

Postby Amber Calman » Sun Feb 18, 2018 11:42 am

Checked out the lake yesterday, another birder was there who had a scope, I only had my telephoto lens. Saw at least two of the hoary headed grebes, I think three. Also one Greater Crested Grebe. My photos of the Hoary grebes are terrible, but I will attach a photo of the two chicks I saw with an adult. I wasn't aware they were chicks til I reviewed the photo at home.

Screen Shot 2018-02-18 at 11.34.48 AM.png
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(*)> Amber Calman, Age 15
/ ) Blog https://youngbirderdom.wordpress.com/
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