Bays a great place to see wintering waterbirds
HOARY-HEADED grebes are one of a wide range of birds that frequent Corio Bay during winter.
They return to freshwater wetlands in spring, build a floating nest of waterweeds anchored to some reeds or sedges, and incubate their four eggs here.
Rather than doing them harm, it seems likely that the slowly decaying weeds assist in incubation.
If disturbed, the parent grebe covers the eggs with weeds, then slips away usually underwater.
Unless the adult is seen at the nest, it looks just like a mat of floating waterweeds.
The stripy-headed young leave the nest almost as soon as they hatch, and spend time snuggled into the parent’s feathers — even when the adult dives underwater to hunt for food.
But in summer and autumn many of these wetlands dry out or become contaminated with decaying weeds, and the grebes depart.
Not strong on the wing, grebes usually fly at night when predators are fewer.
So suddenly, literally overnight, they are found on the bays and large open-water lakes where they form small flocks.
Corio Bay is one winter refuge that grebes use each year, sometimes in small family groups, but on occasions in large numbers.
Stingaree Bay is one wellknown wintering for both hoary-headed and the larger crested grebes.
In freshwater areas, their diet includes all sorts of small animals, from water beetles and similar insects to tadpoles and fish.
On the bay, small fish would be their main food.
Recently, I was asked by John Gibson the identity of the birds that he had noticed offshore from Rippleside.
A visit to St Helens confirmed that they were indeed hoary-headed grebes, two of which were close to the rocky shore.
Grebes used to be known as dabchicks — no doubt they are still sometimes called that.
In his Geelong Advertiser article in November 1946, Perc Wood wrote: “You can see them on calm days in the winter in little parties of 10 or 15 on Corio Bay … many people have tried to shoot them with a rifle, but they have some uncanny sense which enables them to submerge at the flash of the gun and beat the bullet by the speed of the dive.”
I hope nobody takes that as some sort of a challenge — try a camera instead. Wildlife information and questions can be sent to ppescott@gmail.com