Subject: Re: Yellow-billed Loons
Date: Sep 23 19:29:09 1997
From: "Ruth Sullivan" - GODWIT at worldnet.att.net


hello gene,
thank you gene, for you great expertise with birding.i hope this will bring
the discussion about the yellow billed loon to on end.

GODWIT at worldnet.att.net

----------
> From: Eugene Hunn <hunnhome at accessone.com>
> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
> Subject: Yellow-billed Loons
> Date: Tuesday, September 23, 1997 7:50 AM
>
> 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.