Grebe is a Funny Name for a Bird

The western grebe in the photo below was having a problem. I watched him for a while before I realized what the problem was. He went back and forth for quite a while and sometimes he would go below the water. That's not unusual for a grebe but sometimes he would also flop around in an eratic fashion. Upon closer examination with binoculars, I could see that he was snagged on an abandoned fishing line. We notified some park personnel and they went in and rescued the poor fellow.



I think grebe is a funny word. I also think grebes are cool looking. Western Grebes are common in this area (Denver) but are also migratory so you won't see them all year.