Ed,
�
I'm glad you loaded these images. They were a good comparison. Also, I didn't change any images. The only ledgable shots I got were gleaned from the video, and that is the original material I posted Friday night. I have however gone through the video again carefully and froze a capture where the shape of the head and bill were far more clear than in the collage. I looked at your photo and compared the two birds. I print-screen the two, which reveal the exagerated round-head shape of the bird I observed Friday compared to a small bill (attached). I've viewed and scrutinized thousands of Common Loon photos recently and have been un-able to find an image of a bird that match the head-shape and size to bill size shown on this bird.
�
In the field, this bird was very small and seemed to be more the size of a Red-throated Loon, as opposed to a Common Loon. A nearby Double-crested Cormorant appeared much larger.
�
The photos are a very good comparison. I have print screened them together to show the comparison.
�
I also have loaded the clearest shot I could pull from the video here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thrasher72/8269385219/in/photostream
�
Over the last week I have exhausted myself with research into loons, and have submitted a very indepth report to the records committee. I don't plan to do anymore digging into the sighting, but hopefully everyone has learned a bit from it. I just really wish this bird stuck around.
�
Jon
�
�
From: Edward Boyd <edboyd59...>
To: Jon Corcoran <nvjxc11...>
Cc: MDBirds <mdbirding...>
Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2012 11:40 AM
Subject: Re: [MDBirding] Probable PACIFIC LOON at Fort Howard Park
Jon,
Sorry that it took so ling to do so but I have finally had itme to play with the images that we shot on Saturday morning. After adjusting and reviewing the images I believe that we were looking at two different birds and the bird that we photographed was not the same bird as the previous night. There are some plumage similarities but after looking at the the images that we shot and your images (why did you pull your individual images by the way? - they were much easier to compare to than with the collage that is present now), it appears that our bird had more white in the face and other differences. In the field when the bird was first seen in the fog it didn't seem to have the blocky head shape that comes out in the images after processing. You bird does not seen to have that head appearance.
I have uploaded two distant images to compare with the quality of the photos from your video grabs. The close up images are not relevant in my opinion because they show too much detail and are clearly Common Loon images.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24110087@N05/
I still feel that your images, though VERY suggestive and intriguing, are inconclusive due to the poor quality that occurs in the conversion and enlargement process from a video to a still image. I suspect that your original file shows more detail than the converted file that's processed to play online without proprietary software.
Ed Boyd
Chestnut Hill Cove, MD
On Sat, Dec 8, 2012 at 12:23 AM, Jon Corcoran <nvjxc11...> wrote:
Hi Everyone,
>
>Tonight towards dusk I was scoping off Fort Howard Park (Baltimore. south of North Point State Park)�when my scope hit a very interesting looking loon that I was not able to pin in the field. The bird was do-west, past the large rock pile off the bank (The only protruding formation there off the�bank).�It didn't really fit the build for�either of the common loons�(Common or Red-throat). The bird, too me, looked more to have a Red-throat build, but was extremely dark. The head was very round and the bill was slight. The bird just didn't fit for a Common Loon. The area around the eye was very dark and there was a white cheek-patch. The black down the neck was smooth, and there was no sign of a ring towards the base of the neck. I also noted no white spotting on the bird... I was stumped.
>
>When I got home I started looking at my books and found a depiction in Sibley and Crossley that looked strikingly like what I saw. I downloaded a 60x scope, 5x video I had taken and viewed it at full-screen. I started to shake as the similarities captured in the video to the book depictions were compelling. In fact, the drawings and photos I see for non-breeding PALO look like the closest fit to this bird. I'm hoping this bird will be refound tomorrow and better photos taken.
>
>I have posted the video and a callage to view. Any input on this bird is welcome and appreciated.
>
>http://www.flickr.com/photos/thrasher72/
>
>Thanks,
>
>Jon Corcoran
>Catonsville, MD
>
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