Hi Tweets,

Scott Hall writes:

(snip)
>A Yellow-billed Loon would be a life
>bird, but the directions that I have seen so far wouldn't help me.

I have a feeling that the Stanley Park/English Bay Yellow-billed Loon Gavia
adamsii in downtown Vancouver BC on Saturday was northbound, so may be
impossible to relocate.

To get to the Crescent Beach location of the more dependable first-year
bird, take Interstate I-5 over the border where it becomes Highway 99, take
the Crescent Beach exit where you'll eventually turn W onto Crescent Road;
drive that for about 5 km (3 mi) until you come to stoplights--the main
choices here are to turn L onto 128th Street or go straight ahead (slightly
R actually) onto Beecher--and go straight through. Follow Beecher down the
hill and across the railway tracks and turn diagonally R onto Sullivan.
Follow Sullivan to the end where there is a turn-around and parking area.
Park there (don't leave valuables in the car), cross the small lawn, tending
diagonally right, to the shoreline, about 20 meters. This particular bird
seems to like hugging the shoreline in this immediate area, but I'm not sure
if it's as likely to be found further out. If it isn't there, you can walk
about 1.5 km (1 mi) in either direction along the shoreline as well as
looking further out into Boundary Bay.

Two cautions and a possible consolation prize:

1) if you are using the Western Peterson, his portrayal of the
Yellow-billed's head pattern is fine, but the back pattern is wrong: it's a
series of transverse rows of larger 'squares' than illustrated; also, he has
illustrated the Juv/Basic plumage as similar in tone and color to the Common
Loon, which is *quite* incorrect: the overall color of a Yellow-billed is a
warmer, paler, sandier brown, not the cold grey-brown of the Common Loon.
The National G is more accurate in coloration, though the structure and
profile is a bit off compared to nature and Peterson. The Master Guide's two
photographs are of a Basic and Alternate Adult respectively; unfortunately,
they didn't include the plumage most likely to be seen this far south, the
Juv/Basic 1/First Winter plumage. The Crescent Beach Yellow-billed has a
bill-shape like the Alternate adult, while the head and neck of the Basic
adult give you a good idea of the coloration while the back is much darker
brown than the Crescent Beach bird.

2.
there are usually quite a few Common Loons G. immer in the area, and one of
them will fool ya big-time, the only good separating feature being that the
Yellow-billed has *yellow* in its bill, particlarly from the bill's
mid-point to the tip, and it's already showing the deep base and gonydeal
angle of the mandible. One of the field marks of the Yellow-billed Loon
usually is that the neck is essentially pale with a thin darker brown stripe
running down the center of the rear neck in a rough hourglass pattern,
unlike the front half white/rear half cold grey-brown of the Common's
neck--this guy's got it. Yellow-billed has a paler face with a darker spot
or crescent on the auriculars--this guy's got it. Yellow-billed has a paler,
browner overall plumage than Common--this guy's got it. Yellow-billed
typically carries its bill above the horizontal--so does this guy. There is
only one diagnostic mark that establishes the ID of this individual as
Common: the bill. It's a cold blue-grey throughout its length and there's
dusky at the tip and back along the cutting edge. Also the bird doesn't look
quite bulky or long-necked enough to be Yellow-billed. Why isn't this bird a
hybrid? I don't know. It sure shares a lot of plumage features with adamsii.
If in doubt, look at the bill. If still in doubt, it's the Common.

If you do find the loon to the E or W of the NW end of Sullivan, and it is
close to shore, if you approach it slowly--ie, determine duration of dives,
then go half the distance to it between each dive until you're a meter or
two from the water's edge--it seems unworried by non-threatening close approach.

Consolation prize.
Look for a flock of Sanderling Calidris Alba and look for the darker, larger
Rock Sandpiper C. ptilocnemis in it. It also is very tame.

>I will
>probably look around Stanley Park and Lost Lagoon on Sunday afternoon. I
>am hoping to get to Riefel (sp?) on Monday.

Owing to the kayak-traffic (the trail-bikes and ATV's of the sea--with the
same f***-you attitude if you ask them not to disturb some birds ahead of
them--and the guys are even ruder), I'd suggest reversing the order here,
Scott. The scoters and eider are very intolerant of close approach and
unlike many seabirds which dive or swim out of the way or fly in a big
circle around, vacate the entire area when disturbed by approaching
kayakers--and observation suggests that it seems to be part of the local
kayakers' code to go through the middle of any flock of seabirds they see,
or send them flying off in the attempt. The waters will likely be much less
kayaker-infested on a Monday AM than a Sunday PM.

>I would appreciate any
>suggeestions and will change my plans if needed. Also, if anyone out there
>is planning on going north and would like to get together for part of the
>time that would be great. Thanks in advance for any suggetions!

Well, there's a start.

Michael Price A brave world, Sir,
Vancouver BC Canada full of religion, knavery and change;
mprice at mindlink.net we shall shortly see better days.
Aphra Behn (1640-1689)