Waterbirds have great difficulty coping with the freezing temperatures since they rely on open water for their survival. Grebes can’t even walk on land; except for incubating eggs in a nest, they spend their lives on water or in flight. At this time of the year, many would be over-wintering on Georgian Bay. But Georgian Bay has frozen solid for the first time in almost 20 years so the grebes are on the move.
By the time they make it down to Lake Ontario, many are exhausted and hungry. Toronto Wildlife Centre has admitted over 130 water birds this winter.
