What Grebe ?

[Dan P]

Taken 10-12-2020 in the late afternoon at Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve in Van Nuys, CA.

The first 3 photos were taken in the same sequence.  1 and 2 are definitely one and the same bird.  The last 3 photos were taken about 15 minutes later, from the same place and pointing the same direction, and definitely a single bird. 

I believe the Grebe in the first 2 photos is the same bird as the one in the last 3 photos.  If I remember correctly there was only one adult Grebe in the area.  I threw in the 3rd photo to see if it is a juvenile Grebe.  The gull was in all 6 photos before cropping.

If I only had photos 1 and 5, I would think it was a Clark's Grebe.  But the other photos suggest a Western Grebe.  Although it could have have characteristics of both.  Maybe a hybrid?

What's the story here?  It is just the effect of the lighting giving me problems?

[Avery]

I don’t know my western grebes, but I think pic 3 is either an eared or a horned grebe. 

[Colton V]

My guess is

1,2,4,5,6: Western Grebe. Lores look too dark to be Clark's. Edit: I think the lores look lighter in photos 1 and 5 because of lighting. 

3: Eared grebe. Neck looks too skinny, cheeks seem too dark to be Horned grebe.

Edited October 17, 2020 by Colton V

[Connor Cochrane]

Could the western/Clark’s be a hybrid?

[Colton V]

2 minutes ago, Connor Cochrane said:

Could the western/Clark’s be a hybrid?

I was thinking it's just a winter bird. But it could be a hybrid. You would know better than me, I hardly have any experience with grebes. 

[Tony Leukering]

13 hours ago, Connor Cochrane said:

Could the western/Clark’s be a hybrid?

https://cobirds.org/Publications/ColoradoBirds/InTheScope/84.pdf

The big grebe is fine for Western. That is, I don't see any reason to invoke the "H" word.