Eared Grebe (click to see the larger version)

An obliging Eared Grebe was a pleasant surprise on February 25. The bird was inside the “hook” of the long fishing pier that extends out into Lake Michigan at the east end of the beach. Two Horned Grebes were nearby but the Eared wasn’t associating with them. Late winter Eared Grebes are very rare at Montrose – I’m struggling to remember if I’ve ever seen one there at this time of the year. Is this bird an early migrant or did it overwinter on Lake Michigan? Hard to say.