Brad and Tweeters,

Our Seattle Audubon field trip found the Yellow-billed Loon at Ocean Shores
yesterday, Saturday, July 29 where it has been most often seen recently,
which is in the channel due south of the west end of the Snowy Plover
nesting area (marked by a line of signs). Park at the gate on the Damon
Point Road near the Marina. There were about 10 alternated plumaged
Red-throated Loons there and the Yellow-billed. However, it is a young bird
and lacks some of the normal distinguishing characteristics of the species.
For example, it did not hold the bill at an upward angle and it appeared to
lack the dark ear patch. The bill is pale (except for the dark culmen ridge)
but not exactly yellow. Though the bill is large and noticeably beveled
upwards on the lower mandible, the upper mandible is not straight but
somewhat curved. The overall dorsal coloration is pale, tannish gray, with
pale upper margin to the eye, and in those respects is typical of
Yellow-billed.

Gene Hunn.

----- Original Message -----
From: <Birding4Brad at aol.com>
To: <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Sunday, July 30, 2000 7:50 AM
Subject: Yellow Billed Loon Where?


> I'm going to Ocean Shores early in the a.m. Mon. I keep hearing the
bird
> has been spotted by the summerged jetty at Damon Pt. Where is the jetty?
I
> know where the road ends and the rest rooms are at the end of the road.
From
> there do I follow the beach south to the bend to the West? Any help would
be
> great. Thank You Brad Wilson
> birding4brad at aol.com
>