Subject: bird id question
Date: Jul 29 20:48:45 1996
From: jbroadus at seanet.com - jbroadus at seanet.com


I have a bird id question: Last weekend while out at San Juan Island on the
north side of the peninsula that forms cattle point we were looking at the
seabirds tooling about in the bay. Sunny, calm day, with a lot of glare. Out
in the water were two birds right at the edge of good binocular range and I
didn't have my scope, as we were bicycling.

Anyway, they were, I'm sure from posture and general look, small to medium
sized loons. Light colored bills, very light grey, not quite yellow. They
had white breasts, throat and neck, making a strong contrast with a black or
dark grey back, the contrast looked about as strong as in a western grebe,
but these didn't have the erect look of a grebe, nor was the neck as long
(unless they were keeping it bent) nor did the white run up as high on the
face. Most interesting was a tawny color on the nape, which really reflected
a "lion's mane" sort of color when they faced away from the light. They
never flew, just dove and swam around.

Looking in my guides, I haven't found any loon that looks quite right. My
European guide is the only one that shows immature plumage, and from that I
wonder if they were immature pacific loons. Is that a likely sighting for
that locale this time of year?

In this same area we saw a breeding plumage horned grebe, and some ducks I
didn't expect this early-- surf scoters and one bufflehead.

Otherwise lots of commotion with the feeding of recently fledged families.
Watched some northern rough winged swallows feed three young that looked
as though they could have been glued to a piece of driftwood, and a huge
number of brown creepers. Amazing to watch a creeper run up a tree, snatch
something, and then run down the tree and stuff it in a following gaping
beak. American camp is the place to actually see creepers, not just hear
them. Also two bald eagles hanging around that fledged two weeks ago, and
one tiny song sparrow being run ragged by a cowbird with a big mouth.

Here's a toast to R.T. Peterson.
-------------------------------------
Name: Jerry Broadus
jbroadus at seanet.com
901-16th. St S.W.
Puyallup, Wa. 98371
206-845-3156
07/29/96
20:48:45