LeslieAnn Rose wrote about the Great White Loon, which she has seen for the
past two winters. It's interesting, and I hope she won't mind my sharing it.

> We first spotted what sounds to be the same bird, out in front of our
>home along C'Bay's north shore in November, 1998. Sightings were fairly
>consistent through February 1999 and sporadic to about Dash Point State Park
>until May, 1999. Back again in November, 1999 and I noted it 3 times, but
>dropped from my sight soon after the first of January 2000. We have a Bald
>Eagle population on this side of the Bay that winters on ducks (mostly
>Goldeneye) and gulls and, as I had not seen the loon this year, assumed that
>it had become a direct link in the food chain.
> I've been following the posts on Tweeters and it sounds like the very
>same bird. We are driving over today to have a look. In the past, it has
>come within 25-30 feet of the house at a high tide and we got some pretty
>spectacular looks at it. The very best was a chilly foggy morning just as
>the sun was breaking into the fog. I heard its call first and then it came
>through the fog to just out in front of our (beachside) home. Called again,
>dove and moved further out. I still get chills remembering that morning.


Dennis Paulson, Director phone 253-879-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax 253-879-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416
http://www.ups.edu/biology/museum/museum.html