Domestic Bliss

It has been a few years since I first saw nesting Red-necked Grebes at Bronte Harbour. Last weekend we drove to Lake Ontario and stopped at the stunning park and harbour in Oakville. The breeze from the lake was welcome on the hot, humid afternoon. I would love to live on the shores of a large body of water but am thankful that it is an easy afternoon drive to three of the five Great Lakes from our home.

Three pairs of Red-necked Grebes were easily seen from the shore, but only this duo had a nest in a tire that had been anchored for the purpose. The female was sitting on her eggs and the male worked tirelessly bringing her vegetation to adorn the tire as well as feeding her small minnows.

This was another pair of grebes. The photo shows how much larger the female is than the male bird. Grebes have very loud calls and the birds were vocal this afternoon.

This last photo shows the tire nest in perspective with the boats in the marina. The park was busy and the tire was a few metres from the boardwalk but the Grebes have a relatively safe haven from predators. I hope to return in a couple of weeks to see the young birds as they are cared for by their attentive parents.