25th March 2014 - Topsham
As a break from exciting gull photos, here's a rather nice Slavonian Grebe from the Rec today. Found by Martin Elcoate a couple of days ago, it had eluded me until this morning, when I found it loafing and occasionally feeding among the buoys at the southern end of The Rec. It's not quite in breeding dress - there's still a few white feathers on the throat and the ear-tufts are not fully grown - but it's near enough.
While they're common enough in winter at the other end of the estuary, this is only the third I've seen at The Rec in 15 years, all have been in, or nearly in, breeding plumage.
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| Slavonian Grebe - Topsham Rec 25/3/2014 |
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| Slavonian Grebe - Topsham Rec 25/3/2014 |
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| Slavonian Grebe - Topsham Rec 25/3/2014 |
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| Slavonian Grebe - Topsham Rec 25/3/2014 |
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| Slavonian Grebe - Topsham Rec 25/3/2014 |
So hands up if you've ever wondered why 'Slavonian', and just where is Slavonia anyway? Never willingly missing a chance to wander off at a tangent, I thought I'd try to find out. Well, it turns out Slavonia is a region of eastern Croatia in the Balkans. This isn't an area you'd expect to find Slavonian Grebes these days but maybe it was in the 19th Century, when I'm guessing the name was coined? If anyone knows more about the origins of the 'Slavonian' bit, I'd love to know.
It may not be particularly appropriate but it's memorable and I I like the name, I have no desire to start using the transatlantic 'Horned Grebe'. Funny thing is, the scientific name
Podiceps auritus actually means 'eared', which is what Americans call
Podiceps nigricollis, our Black-eared Grebe!
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