Winter Red-necked Grebe – Centre County, PA

This afternoon I found this adult Red-necked Grebe at the Axemann Rd pond in Centre County. This is only the 2nd January record for the county, and the location is very odd (small, shallow pond along a road). Red-necked Grebes are rare migrants in central Pennsylvania. Typically only single birds or small groups are seen on stormy days during fall or spring migration, and some years they aren’t reported at all. Almost all records are from Bald Eagle SP. This bird was likely pushed off the Great Lakes by freezing conditions and was heading to the coast, but decided to take a break here in Centre County. I’m glad it did!

Red-necked Grebe - adult at Axemann Rd in Centre County (Photo by Alex Lamoreaux)

Red-necked Grebe – adult at Axemann Rd in Centre County (Photo by Alex Lamoreaux)