Red-necked Grebe

🔍 Overview

A scarce winter visitor and passage migrant to Sussex waters, mostly offshore.

🪶 Key Identification Features

Breeding plumage: rufous neck, black crown

Winter: duller with pale cheeks and dusky neck

Larger and thicker-necked than other grebes

🗺️ Habitat & Distribution

Best seen from sea-watching points like Worthing Beaches, Goring Gap, or Brighton Marina in late autumn to early spring.

🎶 Voice & Behaviour

Usually silent outside breeding season. Often solitary or in pairs, riding offshore waves or diving frequently.