Denny,

The loon seen south of Pateros matchs the 7-December-2003 photos in the Arctic Loon Gallery. The white on the flanks was at the rear near the tail and came up quite high on the sides. In addition, it completly lacked the Common Loon neck pattern. The border between the white throat and the black neck/nape was a clean, distinct line. The bill was shorter, thiner, and more evenly tapered than a Common Loon. The lack of neck pattern and the bill difference would seem to rule out Common Loon. At one point, a Common Loon was in the same scope view. The Arctic Loon was roughly the same size. A Pacific Loon would have been noticably smaller. A neck strap was not visible. The loon was actively feeding. I have seen a number of common loons with white on the flanks. This has only been visible when they were at rest or preening, not actively feeding. In all of them the white has been centered on the bird and fairly low. Where as with this loon, the white was visible while the bird was actively feeding and was visible only at the rear of the flanks and extended quite high.

Has anyone else been out to seen the bird beside Gina Sheridan, Patrica Lott and me?

Rick

Rick Taylor
Everett, WA

-----Original Message-----
>From: Denny Granstrand <dgranstrand at charter.net>
>Sent: Jan 23, 2007 4:10 PM
>To: TWEETERS at u.washington.edu
>Subject: [Tweeters] Arctic Loon gallery
>
>Hi Tweeters,
>
>Here is a link to a gallery of Arctic Loon photos.
>
>http://www.birdingfaqs.com/Arctic%20Loon%20Gallery.htm
>
>There is a lot more to Arctic Loon identification than seeing white
>on the sides. All loons can show a variable amount of white on the
>sides. I have a photo of a Common Loon on my website that could
>easily be mistaken for an Arctic Loon. Here is the link to that photo:
>
>http://www.granstrand.net/gallery/new/P1140370a
>
>Denny Granstrand
>
> * Denny Granstrand *
> * Yakima, WA *
> * dgranstrand at charter.net *
>* Denny's bird photos can be seen online at: *
> http://granstrand.net/gallery/
>
>
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