Re: Pacific Loon in Harford/Cecil County
Norm Saunders (osprey@mtolympus.ari.net)
Sat, 8 Nov 1997 04:57:51 -0500
> Norm: I'm a great advocate of caution and a believer in good notes,
> but ALLEGED? ALLEGED PACIFIC LOON? You cut me to the quick sir. This
> loon is innoncent I say, innocent until proven guilty and it is as
> Pacific (although I was not when it swam into my scope) as any loon
> can be.
All kidding aside, Rick, I haven't yet seen any notes in all these
messages talking about the field marks of the bird in question nor
have I heard any discussion why this bird might not be Gavia arctica
arctica, the European race of Arctic Loon. According to Kaufman's
Advanced Birding, the jury is still out regarding useful marks to
separate Arctic and Pacific Loons reliably in basic plumage.
According to the writeup in the NGS Field Guide, the European race of
Arctic is relatively likely as an accidental wanderer on the East
Coast of the U.S. It would seem to me that this species may be
considered no more unlikely than Gavia pacifica!
Hope to see you this morning, in the far cold northeast part of
Maryland!
Cheers,
Norm
===============
Norm Saunders
Colesville, MD
osprey@ari.net