Subject: [Tweeters] Loon(s) at Alki ?
Date: Mar 27 18:26:32 2010
From: Gary Smith - gsmith at smithandstark.com


Tweeters,



I always expect to see a few loons over the course of a winter around Alki
Point, but anytime one comes along, I look at it as closely as I can. So
when what I assumed was a Common Loon popped up this afternoon, I put the
scope on it. I had to rub my eyes, as the bill was all light yellow from
back to front, top to bottom. It dove. I put the scope on it again when it
came up - same result: all light yellow bill, and I recalled the wording of
an old field guide about a Yellow-billed Loon: "straw yellow" and thinking
that was a good description for this color. The rest of the loon was, by
itself, similar to a common loon in basic plumage - gray all over the back,
head, and back of the neck, white in the throat, breast, and front of the
neck, and a partial collar extending from the back of the neck part way
toward the front. I thought it seemed slightly lighter in tone over the
head and back than what I usually see in a common loon, but that was it. It
seemed in a hurry on each dive, not staying down long, moving to the
Northeast; when it dove again, I searched for it a third time in vain.



Not long after, I spotted another big bird near where I had surveyed the
loon before its last dive. If it was the same bird, it would have had to
have reversed course. This bird sent different signals right from the start
- darker head and back of the neck, no obvious yellow in the bill. This one
hung around, diving many times, so I confirmed it as a common loon - with a
pure silvery gray bill, not even dark on the tip, relatively straight lower
bill, dark head and back of the neck, the edging of the collar at the bottom
seemed more distinct.



So: did I seen one loon, or two? Was the first a Yellow-billed or was the
sun just reflecting differently off of the bill of a Common? All opinions
appreciated.



Gary T. Smith

Alki Point