Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 12:49:11 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: David Powell Subject: Loon ID - Clopper Lake MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi Everyone, On Clopper Lake in Seneca Creek State Park there have been two Common = Loons this past weekend. One is in breeding plumage and the other one = is in a first year plumage. Today a third loon joined the other two and = I have not been able to identify. The plumage looks like a first year = bird. My closest possibility is Pacific Loon, but would like others to = see it. Observation was through binoculars only and have to return to = work shortly, but will try to refine later in the day and hopefully take = a photo or two. Here is a brief description. Size: About two thirds the size of the common loons. Bill: Much smaller than the Common Loons, Straight and held horizontal. Neck plumage - Very distinct between white and black. I thought I saw a = partial neck strap. Head - Forehead was dark, but the nape had a sheen of a color starting = to appear, almost gold or cream. Back - Very dark, with little white seen The bird has been seen from the beach area near the tire playground and = from the dam. I hope someone has a chance to look for it. I will return = about 5PM with my scope. Dave Powell Dave036@earthlink.net Germantown, MD 301-540-8776=20 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =========================================================================