I came for the loons and stayed for the grebe.
During the summer, loons and grebes are in their striking breeding plumages and spend their time on small lakes and marshes in the region. With the coming of fall, these birds moult into a drabber non-breeding plumage and move to large lakes, such as Kootenay Lake. From here they often travel to coastal waters.
The Common Loons and Red-necked Grebe seen this week on the Lake seem to have been caught part way through both their journey and their moult.
The first birds spotted were two Common Loons. The one on the left is further along in its moult.
Soon a Red-necked Grebe swam by. Its moult is nearly complete.
The new plumage requires maintenance.
And is still in its shakedown period.
