With two Pied-billed Grebes earlier in the year in Ireland, the possibility of one turning up on the mainland seemed real, and thankfully, it has! The bird was originally discovered by an RSPB group three days ago. Initially thought to be a Red-necked Grebe, photographs later confirmed the correct identification.
I made my way to Hollingworth Lake with Malc Curtin, as everyone else had seen the bird the previous day while we were at work. On arrival, we connected with the grebe straight away. While the bird was not particularly showy, it was a valuable addition to the list, and I was surprised it had been misidentified; the differences with a Red-necked Grebe are clear.
This marks the first sighting of a Pied-billed Grebe on the UK mainland since 2001, when one was at Upper Tamar Lake, Cornwall/Devon from 8th January to 24th February. A rare and exciting record for Greater Manchester!
Pied Billed Grebe
Hollingworth Lake
Me on site