Point Wilson
N48*08.642'
W122*45.262'
1-22-11, time 1300~1530, incoming tide, wind waves 6 inch, no swell, wind 6 mph, high defuse clouds, air temp. 48 degrees.

Common Loon 1
Yellow-billed Loon 1
Seabird, you left twenty minutes to early. Yes, that was the YbL we saw at a great distance towards the SW diving. The YbL moved to within 100 yards from where we were standing.
When this YbL dives to feed as its neck and breast enters the water it will kick its legs and produce a good sized splash of water, which is distinctive to this bird or the species. Most other loons I see make no splash when diving or a very slight splash. The kicking when diving is a trait I have seen from this bird for the last four years. From the images of the YbL when the bird did a wing stretch, which it does often. I can see that the YbL is just starting to molt its primary feathers. Last year the YbL was in full molt the first week of February. During molt the YbL will be flightless for over a month and feeding almost all day long. The Ybl will feed in water as deep as 300 feet and feeds on bottom fish. Two years past I saw and have images of this bird subduing a octopus and consuming it, the link to the image. http://www.flickr.com/photos/rlw/3327726342/in/set-72157603416969835/
The water in the area where the bird caught the octopus was between 280 and 300 feet deep. I have timed the YbL which has remained under water as long as four minutes. I have much more on my observations on this YbL but I will stop here. Now is an excellent opportunity to see this bird if you are willing to put in the time and it will take time to earn this bird.

Pacific Loon 4
Red-throated Loon 2
Red-necked Grebe 1
Horned Grebe 2
Pelagic Cormorant 7
Double-crested Cormorant 12
Brandt's Cormorant 6
Common Murre 13
Pigeon Guillemot 16
Rhinoceros Auklet 2
Marbled Murrelet 14
Ancient Murrelet 1
Glaucous-winged Gull 15
Surf Scoter 11
Harlequin Duck 8
Red-breasted Merganser 13
Bufflehead 5
Sanderling 31
Song Sparrow 1

Robert Whitney
rlw at cablespeed.com
www.flickr.com/photos/rlw/