This beautiful little Grebe was busy cleaning itself at Delta Ponds, so I was able to get some photos of it undisturbed by my presence. While watching it closely, I noticed that it was not leaving, even when others came up and began watching. Turns out it has lost most of one wing, as the photo shows. Poor thing, it can't fly away! I hope it survives out there.
Some interesting facts about the Pied-billed Grebe, (from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pied-billed_Grebe/lifehistory)
"Part bird, part submarine, the Pied-billed Grebe is common across much of North America. These small brown birds have unusually thick bills that turn silver and black in summer. These expert divers inhabit sluggish rivers, freshwater marshes, lakes, and estuaries. They use their chunky bills to kill and eat large crustaceans along with a great variety of fish, amphibians, insects, and other invertebrates. Rarely seen in flight and often hidden amid vegetation, Pied-billed Grebes announce their presence with loud, far-reaching calls."
