Subject: [Tweeters] RT Loon on beach
Date: Feb 12 15:26:18 2012
From: Dennis Paulson - dennispaulson at comcast.net


Gary,

When I was spending a lot of time at Grays Harbor, I frequently saw Red-throated Loons hauled up on the beach at the protected game range, especially during the late summer when they were molting. I felt it was normal behavior for them. When approached, they would hop into the water with strong simultaneous kicks of their legs and swim off. I speculated that when they were molting and might have had the insulating warmth of their feather coat slightly compromised, they could warm up on the beach. Pure speculation with no particular evidence, and if you see them in midwinter, they're probably not molting.

Dennis


On Feb 12, 2012, at 2:53 PM, Gary Bletsch wrote:

> Dear Tweeters,
>
> Yesterday (11 February 2012) I saw something I'd seen only once before, about 20 years ago: a Red-throated Loon on a beach.
>
> Last time I saw this was at Point Reyes, CA in September of 1988. On that occasion, my wife and I watched a Red-throated Loon swim onto a sandy beach, stay there a few minutes, then swim back into the water as we approached.
>
> Yesterday, shortly before sundown, I noticed a Red-throated Loon hauled up on a sandy bar at Game Range on Fir Island. My vantage point was at the very end of the River End Trail; the bird appeared to be alert, resting twenty or thirty meters or so from a small flock of Mallards that were likewise loafing on the bar. This was across the channel from me. The bird was still there when I left.
>
> Other fun birds yesterday included several Northern Saw-whet Owls at Harry Osborne State Forest north of Hamilton, and at least one at Rockport State Park (owling field trip with Pilchuck Audubon).
>
> At Pomona Grange Park, a pair of Hutton's Vireos gave great looks, the male singing and calling quite a bit.
>
> Yours truly,
>
> Gary Bletsch
>
> Yesterday
>
> Yesterday evening, I was
>
> Gary Bletsch Near Lyman, Washington (Skagit County), USA garybletsch at yahoo.com "Nun," sagte ich, "wenn ich ein Taugenichts bin, so ist's gut, so will ich in die Welt gehen, und mein Glueck machen." Und eigentlich war mir das recht lieb, denn es war mir kurz vorher selber eingefallen, auf Reisen zu gehen, da ich die Goldammer, welche im Herbst und Winter immer betruebt an unserm Fenster sang: "Bauer, miet' mich, Bauer, miet' mich!" nun in der schoenen Fruehlingszeit wieder ganz stolz und lustig vom Baume rufen hoerte: "Bauer, behalt' deinen Dienst!"
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-----
Dennis Paulson
1724 NE 98 St.
Seattle, WA 98115
206-528-1382
dennispaulson at comcast.net