Jill Sampson

Floating Nest, Boofy’s Dam, Jan/Feb, 2022
Australasian Grebe

When I was home on the Farm earlier in the year I observed a floating Grebe nest on one of the farm dams. When I first saw it I thought it may be an old nest from which the chicks had already grown and left. However a week later I walked to the edge of the dam from a different direction surprising a Grebe on her floating nest. This time the nest was close to the edge and in the nest rested four small bluish eggs. It concerned me how close the nest was to the land edge of the dam. That it was at risk of being preyed on by a fox, goanna or dingo. But there was nothing I could do so I was careful not to approach the dam again during my walks.

When I returned to the farm during the Easter holiday time in April there was no nest. However I observed a juvenile Grebe on this same dam and another juvenile Grebe on one of the other dams. Maybe they were both from the eggs in the nest pictured below, that I observed back in February.

Reading about this bird, it says that they can produce up to three successive broods through the breeding season.