Subject: Yellow-billed Loons
Date: Sep 23 07:50:20 1997
From: Eugene Hunn - hunnhome at accessone.com


Eugene Hunn, Seattle, hunnhome at accessone.com

Just another thought on the loon id thread. Two words in the report "I saw a
yellow-billed loon" seem problematical. First, "yellow." What shade of
yellow? It seems we sometimes say "yellow" when we really mean "pale."
Common Loons may have variously pale bills, but I've never seen one with a
"yellow" bill. Of course, most Yellow-billed Loons I've seen have not had
yellow bills either, rather a yellower shade of pale, perhaps. I still favor
a combination of bill color, shape, size, position plus the tannish plumage
tone and the dark ear patch on wintering Yellow-billeds. The other
problematical word in the report is "loon." I have several times nearly got
caught out calling an immature Double-crested Cormorant a Yellow-billed Loon
and have suffered momentary confusion with Red-necked Grebes. It is
essential to know more of the observers experience and the circumstances of
the sighting to be sure.

Gene.