A juvenile Yellow-billed Loon was seen?by the boat survey group this?morning at
about 10:00 AM. It was sitting above what is called Six Gill Slough on the outer
delta area.? It was sitting?with about 1,000?Dunlin on grassy area above the
slough.? This big lump naturally called attention to itself and it looked to be
a loon.? But the bill was clearly yellow.? We had to turn the boat around to
approach it from another angle to be sure that it wasn't a sun reflection.? The
Dunlin spooked but the loon remained.? In fact it was rather unconcerned about
us, allowing good looks at the bill from between 25 to 30 feet away.? It slipped
into the water and nonchalantly stretched its wings and seemed as interested?in
us as we were in it.?The?bill was all yellow except at the top, near the base
which was grayish.? It had the typical pale head and neck with the darker
auriculars.

Careful scoping from the end of the new boardwalk might give viewers?a glimpse
of the bird at high tide.? There are also several common loons and at least two
red-throated loons.? Look also for red-necked grebes among numerous horned
grebes, lots of surf scoters and other deeper water birds.??

David Richardson



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