In breeding plumage. It's about to struggle with ingesting
a pipefish brought up from the eelgrass below.

This grebe and one other where foraging an area near shore of
about 40 by 20 feet. They brought up pipefish on almost
every dive. It is said the pipefish bites its own tail to try
to form an unmanageable shape. But the grebes always succeed.

Pipefish are related to sea horses.