Hello all, First, I would like to say that I appreciate the many kind responses to my earlier post (Yellow-billed Loon retraction). The whole experience certainly has taught me a lot about loons, my own limitations, and given me much respect for the Maryland birding community. So often our mistakes and blunders turn out to be our most educational experiences. I received this post over the weekend (3/15) and had assumed that it was more widely known that the loon had been reported again. Jim's recent post to MDOsprey suggests that the word may not have been spread. I am not sure yet whether this report refers to Patty's same bird - no mention is made of the condition of the breeding plumage or of the diagnostic bill pattern. Larry Lynch is active in Virginia and is apparently a careful observer. In any event, it may be worth some of us taking another trip down there. Best, Marshall Iliff miliff@aol.com Annapolis, MD Friends, An outing of the Richmond Audubon Society to Patuxant Naval Warfare Center, Point Lookout, St. George Island, and other areas of St. Mary's County, Maryland, resulted in excellent birds, including a YELLOW-BILLED LOON. Our guide from the Patuxant "Natural Resource Office" had informed us that a Yellow-billed Loon had been reported on St. George Creek a couple of days previously. After our tour of Patuxant and after a trip down to Point Lookout, we decided to try for the Y-B Loon. After scanning several areas along the creek, it was found from the parking lot at Evan's restaurant. ( I believe that I have the name of the restaurant correct.) It was observed with excellent light conditions from approximately 4:30pm to 5:15pm. It was fishing and cruising in the middle of the creek in the area of a "crossed" pole (closer to the parking lot) and the channel marker. Description: Adult, non-breeding plummage. Bill: pale... not yellow, but very light. Common Loons were also present, and the difference between the dark bills of the Common Loons and the light bill of the Y-B Loon was very discernable. Head: Brownish head was lighter than the dark, brown back. There appeared to be more white on the neck than on the Common Loons. Profile: Bill was tilted up slightly when the loon was moving from spot to spot. The overall, crusing profile gave the impression of a large, Red-throated Loon with the upward tilt of the head and bill. Size: It appeared to be approximately the same size to slightly larger than the Common Loons that were also present at the time. It was larger than the Red-throated Loons which had been observed 15 to 20 minutes earlier in another area. Additional details will be written for an official, records committee submission. We would appreciate any additional sightings to also be reported to me, Larry Lynch, at: birder6@juno.com.