Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 23:15:25 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Lin & Paul McGowan Subject: Re: Ocean City MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Marian Dodson wrote: > >There was a loon in the inlet last winter with part of its upper mandible >broken off. I wonder if this is the same bird and if so, hooray for him! We >had all wondered if this bird could survive in that condition. > > >Marian Dodson > Marian The upper mandible was completely missing, save for a very sharp and thin spike that protruded from the lores for roughly half the regular length of the mandible. The bird looked in excellent shape - with the obvious exception of a full set of laughing gear. Its plumage was excellent and it was able to dive as normal. It had a very characteristic habit of shaking its head from side to side, which appeared to be an effort to clear water out of its passages after a dive. It was fishing much closer in to the jetty on the parking lot side of the inlet than were the other Loon (as close as 40 feet from the concrete blocks). Don't know if that sounds like the bird you saw or not. Paul McGowan mcgowans@maxinter.net Ellicott City, HoCo ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================