Hi:

I replied to a couple of emails and I thought I was replying to the entire list, and I wasn't, was replying to individuals so will post what I've said.

Yes, after looking at Birds of Seattle and Peterson's Western Birds I'm sure that what I saw yesterday was 'the' Yellow-billed Loon. My seabird ID ability is pretty low and my first guess (after the duck) was the cormorant because of how low it was sitting in the water and how much time it was spending under water. There are many cormorants in the area. But it didn't have the long neck and wasn't as big as the cormorant. While at the parking lot of the Les Davis pier I saw it for at least half an hour because I was talking to a friend I ran into while there. I pointed out the bird to him and he didn't see the big deal (he's not into birds) and didn't understand why I kept watching the bird and not him.

I walked the area again this morning for my regular walk and didn't see it, then want back this afternoon and searched from the smelter to about Katie Downs and didn't see it then either. I walk there most every day and if I see it again I'll report it as soon as I can. That will give me some incentive to get down there and get in my walking.

Again, thinking that I had posted to list, and didn't, I apologize.

Thanks for all of those who wrote identifying it for me.

Jim Brewster
Tacoma
jaysontownsend at msn.com<mailto:jaysontownsend at msn.com>