[cobirds] Red-necked Grebe nesting status (Jackson Co) and request for help

This is a follow-up to the previous report of Red-necked Grebes at Lake John in Jackson County. On Friday, May 30, 2014, Paul Slingsby and I were visiting Lake John on an RMBO ColonyWatch trip to monitor colonial water birds. In a cove at the northwest corner of the lake, we spotted a pair of Red-necked Grebes building a nest. The nest was within 30 feet of the road in barely emerging vegetation, possibly smartweed. 

Over the weekend, Tresa Moulton spotted one of the grebes carrying nest material and reported the sighting to the WSBN from whence it was picked up on Cobirds.

I revisited the Red-necked Grebe pair Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning. The nest they had started Friday had been destroyed. Remnants were barely recognizable. Wind and waves frequently destroy first nests of this species, though rising water or disturbance by other critters could have been the cause. (There is an active group of muskrats in the vicinity of the nest.)

 

Monday, one of the grebes was actively building a new nest in grass in a more secluded part of the cove. The second spent much of the day in the center of the cove sitting in what could have been the start of another new nest.The first grebe (probably the male) made several efforts to lead the second to the nest. The second seemed uninterested. At one point, the first grebe brought new nest material to the second and placed it around her. Toward evening, however, they both ended up at the nest in the grass with one of them on it. The other was adding nest material.Tuesday morning there was still one grebe on the nest and another adding material.

 

The problem is, this nest is close to a pull out just after the road turns south along the west side of the lake. The pull off area is used by campers and fishermen. I won't be surprised if the site is also abandoned. 

 

Whether or not they remain on this nest it will be interesting to have a record of this nesting effort. It will be a first breeding record of this species in Colorado and almost certainly the southernmost record in North America. 

Top help ColonyWatch track the progress and outcome of this effort, if you go to Lake John this summer, Jason Beason and I would appreciate it if you would share your observations with us. You can share an eBird report with us, or simply send a narrative report. Details about the behavior of the birds and any observation of eggs and eventually young will be very helpful. Jason's email is jason.beason@rmbo.org and mine is below.

The grebes a skittish, so if you observe them swimming away from you or changing their behavior in response to your presence, it will increase their chance of success if you retreat a bit to continue your observation. This will also allow you to observe more natural behavior.

Thanks in advance for your help.

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Chuck Hundertmark

2546 Lake Meadow Drive

Lafayette, CO 80026

303-604-0531

Cell: 720-771-8659

chundertmark8@gmail.com

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