Subject: Two notes: Albino Yellow-billed Loon; Tukwila gull hangout
Date: Dec 2 12:03:56 2000
From: Robert Sundstrom - ixoreus at home.com


Tweeters,

1. Yellow-billed Loon. Hal Opperman and I got some wonderful views of the
albino Yellow-billed Loon on Commencement Bay this Thursday. When we first
arrived right at high tide the bird was not to be found, and when we did
first see the loon it soon disappeared behind the old Asarco works where it
cannot be viewed from land. After a couple of hours it again turned up, and
we got our best views from the Davis public fishing pier, where the loon was
actively diving and catching fish very close to the north end of the pier.
This is truly a stunning bird. To add to others' recent commentary about
the loon: At close range the bill has a distinct pinkish tinge, sort of like
a pink added over the typical bone color of a winter Yellow-billed Loon's
bill; the feet were similarly colored a pale pinkish. The apparent iris
color varied with the angle of the sun, ranging from a pale bluish gray to a
pale gray infused with yellow. The bill appears, as others have noted, a
classic Yellow-billed Loon shape with nearly straight culmen. I think the
feathering around the gape is perhaps slightly different than in Common
Loon, with feathers extending right to the nostril opening and having a
deeper, sharper angle right at the gape. This fine point is well
illustrated in Kenn Kaufman's "Advanced Birding", p. 26. The bird obviously
covers a lot of distance along Ruston Way so may take some looking, but its
large size and brilliant snow white plumage make it hard to miss if its
around. I have seen no other loons of any species in two trips to the site.

2. Tukwila gull hangout: Hal and I also spent a few minutes looking at the
hundreds of gulls that hang around the City of Tukwila maintenance buildings
and the adjacent golf course. The gulls roost and forage on the golf course
and some often perch on the roofs of the City buildings. Thayer's was the
predominant species, with several hundred present, mixed with some Herring,
a few Mew and California, and the usual Glaucous-winged and hybrids. What
was especially edifying here were close looks at each of the four
age-related winter plumages of Thayer's Gull. In the past this same spot
has been winter host to Glaucous Gulls, and seems worthy of regular
checking. Location: along Interurban Ave. in Tukwila, about a half mile
east of I-5 or just a few blocks east of the Tukwila Park & Ride. It is
easily accessible off Hwy. 599 by taking the Interurban exit and heading
east. You can park fairly close to the city buildings and slog around to
the edge of the golf course. There is also a small pond there with Hooded
Mergansers, etc.

Good birding, Bob

Bob Sundstrom
Seattle, WA
mailto:ixoreus at home.com