Date: Sat, 1 Jun 2002 20:51:17 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Bob Hartman Subject: Pacific Loon MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT I got good looks at both the Common and Pacific first-summer loons this morning between about 10:30 and noon. They were at least a quarter-mile apart, so I couldn't get a good size comparison. The Pacific was near the dam the whole time. (Thanks to John and Carrie Staples for the scope views.) I have a couple of related questions that hopefully somebody with more experience can help with: During a portion of the time I was viewing the Pacific Loon, it showed large white patches on the flanks toward the rear, reminiscent of the (alternate) adult Arctic Loons I saw in Alaska. The white patches were comparable the those seen in the first-summer Arctic picture in Sibley, maybe a little smaller. Clearly much larger than shown in any Pacific plumage picture I have found. I have not previously seen either Pacific or Arctic Loons in first-summer plumage, so I wonder how you rule out an Arctic Loon? Does the "chin-strap" (seen clearly in some of Mary Ann Todd's pix) make the difference? It isn't shown in any Arctic pictures I have found. A more general question: The rest of the time I watched, the white patch wasn't so obvious, presumably because the bird was riding lower in the water. That's what I want to ask about. What makes the same bird ride higher or lower in the water? The amount of food in the belly? It can't be how wet it is, because the Pac Loon was diving the whole time I was there, but it waterline definitely changed. Thanx for any insight anybody can provide. Bob Hartman Colesville, MD ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================