No YB Loon, but some crossbill info
Stephen G Sanford (tanager@mail.bcpl.lib.md.us)
Sat, 10 Jan 1998 18:02:44 -0500
This morning about 8:30 to 9:00 Pete Webb and I went to the Loch Raven
Dr area to look for the Yellow-billed Loon. All we found was a Common
Loon with a pale bill and dark "culmen." The head and back of the neck
were, if anything, darker than the back, not lighter.
Later, at Pine Knob Rd, I ran into Paul Noell. He said he also returned
to Loch Raven around 10:00 and apparently saw the same bird we saw. He
also thinks it was probably the same bird he saw yesterday, and that in
the better light of this morning, he too could see the dark culmen. So
the few "possible" YB Loon characteristics of Friday disintegrated
completely on Saturday.
Meanwhile, back at the crossbill ranch, Paul and a few other birders did
see 20 Red Crossbills and one White-wing at Pine Knob Rd, Carroll Co.
around 3:30. Pete checked Pine Ridge Golf Course off Dulaney Valley Rd
and did not get any crossbills. He did run into some people who said
they had seen both species of crossbills at Deer Park Rd, Carroll Co
earlier in the morning. I myself spent some more time in NW Balto Co on
Gunpowder Rd 1/2 mile north of Beckleysville Rd (where I had great looks
at WW Crossbills about 10 days ago). I heard, and distantly saw, what
sounded like White-wings, but they never settled into good view.
Steve Sanford