Subject: [Tweeters] Arctic Loon at Alki today?
Date: Jan 1 13:08:19 2011
From: Gary Smith - gsmith at smithandstark.com


Maybe the CBC volunteers in West Seattle today have seen this, but my first
bird of the new year was a loon, and perhaps a special one, at that. It was
diving rather leisurely and while it floated between dives I was able to
study it for a while in the scope:



-- substantial white flank showing above the waterline - a long line, not
just a spot toward the rump, slightly scalloped at the top

-- forehead sharply sloped, crown very flat, very angular meeting of the two

-- dark from the crown extended down to the eye, no white visible above the
eye; it looked as though the dark/white line met about even with the front
of the eye but was about at the top of the eye behind it

-- silvery gray bill, about half the time tilted upward



Why I thought it wasn't a Pacific Loon - way too much white showing at the
waterline; no "chin strap;" holding its bill above horizontal

Why I thought it wasn't a Red-throated Loon - white flank well defined,
extending about two-thirds of the waterline length; no white above the eye;
white on neck didn't extend toward the back of the neck as far; bill a
little more substantial; gray on back a little more consistent; a bulkier
bird overall, enough so to sort of blink and rub your eyes and wonder
whether you've forgotten what a Common Loon looks like.



Happy New Year and great birding to you all in 2011.



--g



Gary T. Smith

Alki Point, Seattle