Deb Beutler wrote -

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Kaufman writes that first winter birds often show a bit of white
speckling on the back and lack the necklace but the face pattern is still
the same and is definitely consistent with the Pacific Loon. I didn't try
to eliminate the much less likely Arctic Loon because a) the field marks to
differentiate these two, particularly in winter plumage, are unknown to me
and b) Pacific Loons are much more likely anywhere in Idaho (North America
as a whole?) than the Arctic Loon.
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Most likely a young-of-the-year. A molting ad. Pacific Loon I saw in the Prince George, c. BC, area in the 3rd week of October was still in ratty alternate plumage.
Re: a) difficult but I'm sure you will get some responses on this; b) agreed.

Flushed a Great Gray Owl from the roadside on the way to work yesterday. It perched on a telephone pole but I was on a dangerous section of road so could not stop. What a big bag of feathers they are! Also a Northern Shrike moving among the treetops.

Jack Bowling
jcbowling at mindlink.bc.ca
Fort Nelson, BC