Subject: [Tweeters] Monday: Possible Arctic Loon at Ocean Shores
Date: Dec 13 14:50:05 2011
From: Paul Hicks - phicks at accessgrace.org


Tweets, On Monday, Dec. 12, around 12-12:15 pm I observed a possible Arctic
Loon for 10-15 minutes from the breakwater behind the Ocean Shores sewage
treatment plant, looking toward the SW. I'm maybe 40% certain (much higher
if it weren't so unlikely), but if people are searching for the eider it may
be worth someone's while to be on the lookout. The distance required all 60x
of my scope, so between the chop (I lost sight of it with fair frequency)
and the lack of optic clarity the view was not totally satisfactory. (For
instance, I could not determine the markings, if any, on the back.) It
appeared to be just floating/bobbing, sometimes kicking or stretching a leg
out of the water, but I never actually saw it dive.
PRO: (a) I initially believed I was looking at a Pacific Loon; (b) the
structure seemed right; (c) handsome, broad, uniform-ish grayish "mane" down
the nape/backside of the neck, slightly contrasting with the back color --
at least in certain light; (d) well demarked pale frontside of the
throat/neck, narrower than Red-throated; (e) definite "half-necklace" near
the base of the neck just above the waterline (visible in several views);
(f) significant amount of white or whitish on the side and flank showing
above the waterline -- in nearly every view the same pattern as Sibley's
portrayal of adult nonbreeding. In some views there was hardly any dark
visible on the rump above the flank patch; (g) overall the bird appeared
bulkier and darker than a Red-throated, though at that distance and in that
light it may be hard to be certain.
CON: (a) the bird seemed to be doing something irregular with its legs --
several times I could see one leg sticking out, so I wondered whether the
bird was tipped and that's why so much white showed (while this seemed
possible, it really didn't appear to be the case; further, as far as I could
determine it appeared to be the far leg that was lifted out of the water);
(b) the bill seemed uptilted a bit more than what I would expect, so made me
wonder about Red-throated; (c) in one view the white side/flank above the
waterline disappeared, for which I could not determine an explanation; (d) I
shifted locations (from the grassy knoll to the breakwater) and 5-10 minutes
later could not relocate the bird (though I didn't really try hard because I
was really trying to find the eider and was already an hour late), but I did
spot a Red-throated Loon I hadn't noticed before. It was SE from my vantage
point (instead of SW), sticking fairly close to one of the scattered W
Grebes a bit further out past the rocks than the scoters but easily within
binoc range. Though it seems unlikely that the first bird would relocate
itself in my brief absence, the tilt of the bill and the pale side/flank
showing above the waterline on the Red-throat contributes to my uncertainty
(though the first loon was not so slender with snaky neck like the second).
So there you have it. Good birding!
-- Paul Hicks / Tenino / phicks AT accessgrace.org