The Magic Mount

As in Mt. Barker that is. Another leisurely Sunday afternoon spent at the Laratinga Wetland brought gold yet again, with another bird for THE list.

I've seen this small Grebe before up there, but this is the first time I'd been able to get a decent image of it. The male doesn't have his breeding plumage quite yet, but you can see it developing on the bird furthest from the camera with the distinctive grey streaks.

Here's what Mr. Wiki says:

The Hoary-headed Grebe (Poliocephalus poliocephalus) is a member of the grebe family found in Australia and New Zealand. The bird takes its name from the silvery-white streaking on its black head. It is common in Australia, with a population of about 500,000. Its habitat is similar to that of the Australasian Grebe.


It is a fairly small dark grey and white grebe, found in all States and Territories of Australia as well as in New Zealand. It has a brown eye and a black patch under the chin, and a narrow black streak down the back of the neck. During the breeding season the adult's plumage has white streaks over its entire head, giving them the common name of Hoary-headed Grebe. Juveniles have a white chin and throat and a striped face.Males have two plumage phases: after breeding they lose the buff breast and the white lines on the head, but can usually be identified then by the broad black bar down the nape. This Grebe feeds on aquatic arthropods, mostly caught by deep diving. This species feeds during the day, and when the light is poor, forages mostly at the water surface.

Hoary-headed Grebes breed from August to January. The nests are a floating platform of water weeds, similar to that of the Australasian Grebe, and usually some distance out from shore among sparse reeds or other plants, anchored to and at least partly supported by them. A shallow depression on top is just slightly above water, so the eggs are lying in water or dampness. The eggs are concealed under pieces of wet vegetation when the incubating parent leaves so that the nest appears empty. Under full sun the covered eggs are warm and moist, often left unattended for some time. The egg's appearance is oval, white, and soon stained brownish ochre, while the clutch is usually 2-5 eggs. Incubation is 20-24 days and egg size is 39 x 27 mm.