Bird sighting!
Upper Pahranagat Lake as seen from the campground, Alamo, Nevada
A few days ago, while puttering around at our previous primo campsite, a sound — something like a two-syllable shriek — grabs my attention. I turn and spot a strikingly handsome waterfowl bobbing on the waves. The top of his head is black and his chest is bright white.
I run for my monocular and field guide!
Aha! It’s a Western Grebe.
Oh my, those are the birds that do the graceful courtship dance on the water! He’s trying to attract a dancing partner!
(You can hear the “advertising” call by scrolling down the page at the All About Birds website .)
He gets results!
Another Western Grebe emerges from the reeds and swims over to him. I hold my breath eager for the dance to begin.
Nothing. The second grebe turns around and returns to the reeds.
Aw, darn!
Maybe the chemistry just wasn’t there.
You know. It happens.
“Hi, there, beautiful! How ’bout you and me do a little dance?”
“That’s it? Hi there and let’s dance? No. Not gonna’ happen, Romeo.”
Or maybe courtship is over and these two have settled down.
“Dance? DANCE? Are you out of your mind? I’m stuck all day in those damn reeds chasing after OUR children while you’re out here bobbing around in open water, free as a bird. And now you wanna’ DANCE? You’re supposed to help feed the kids like other Western Grebe fathers . . . .”
Oh, well.
Here’s a short YouTube video of the dance of a pair of Western Grebes (actually they may be the very similar Clark’s Grebes). It’s only 1:44 minutes. Stick with it. It’s worth it. The voice-over ends and is replaced with lovely music in perfect accompaniment to the courtship display.
Turn up the volume, set it to full screen and . . .
Enjoy!
That video chokes me up every time I watch it. We do live in a wonderful world!
Friday, April 28
A cold, cold wind blows across the lake and our campsite (above photo taken yesterday). Reg is wrapped up in a ball of comforter while I’m at this computer with a hot cup of tea nearby.
I promised more photos of our primo primo camp but it’s too cold to be out taking pictures. Unless the wind stops, we will spend most of the day inside the Best Little Trailer.
Reggie’s new “soft harness”. . .
You can see from this photo from yesterday that it’s too big.
I’m not going to bother to exchange it because I think he’s between sizes. When I get a big needle with stronger thread than what I have on hand, I may be able to snug up the strap that goes around his chest so the harness doesn’t swivel.
Or I suppose I could adopt another dog who will fit the harness (anything to get out of sewing!).
Update on the Western Grebe!
Looking out our back window at our new campsite, I see him! He’s way out in the lake, diving for his lunch, even though the waves are high and some are even capped with white.
I guess he decided to pause his calling for a mate. Better to wait for a calmer dance floor.
rvsue
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