Jim Ha wrote:

>Then a bird turned away and I realized that the BACK of the head
>and neck was white.
>
>So we are talking about a bird that is decidely loon-like (and I've seen
>many loons), but with a black (ok, VERY dark maybe) throat and sides of
>neck blending to quite white on the back of the head and neck. No sharp
>line between light and dark. The back was dark with typical loon
>speckling or checkerboard pattern. We watched them for at least half an
>hour as they slowly drifted south, diving frequently. Oddest thing I
>have ever seen, I think. Any ideas? Was this a common loon in some sort
>of strange molt stage: that's the best I've come up with?
>
>Any help is appreciated; I'm from back East and not terribly familiar
>with many of the Northwest waterbirds!

Jim, those were Pacific Loons in breeding plumage. The crown and hindneck
are gray in fresh breeding plumage, and the gray fades to whitish or even
white by the time they return here. They retain breeding plumage quite
late in the fall, and I have seen flocks exactly as you described on
numerous occasions in October.

Dennis Paulson, Director phone: (206) 756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax: (206) 756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail: dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416