Re: [MDOsprey] Yellow-billed Loon?

Charlie Muise (cmmbirds@yahoo.com)
Wed, 3 Nov 1999 16:57:24 -0800 (PST)


Hi, folks,

First of all, thanks to all those who sent me info on the
RHWO - saw just one immature, but it was enough.  Saw the
Kelp, too, which was nice.  Saw both expected loons, and
one other:

The bill was far too heavy to be Red-throated Loon.  The
lower mandible (but not the upper) was very distinctly
upcurved.  The thing that drew my attention was the fact
that the bill was bi-colored, which I've never seen before,
and which doesn't show up in any loon in Harrison, NG, or
Peterson.  The distal end was yellow-ish, the proximal end
was dark - maybe black.  The eye was very dark, possible
red.  The bird had a thick, but not incredibly-well defined
eye ring, and a white, incomplete neck ring, not unlike
that of commons.  The back had some tan-ish scalloping.
  There were about 8 commons and one RT nearby with which
to compare it, but none close enough at the time for a
really direct comparison of size and bill.

So what do you think?

BTW, the Snow Goose was gone from Fishing Creek yesterday,
and I forgot to post about an osprey at Flag Ponds
yesterday.


--- Wiwr@aol.com wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
>    Charlie Muise just called me (3pm Wednesday) all
> excited from the 
> Sandgates and says that he and Elizabeth Winter are
> seeing a loon that 
> appears to be a Yellow-billed.  He is hoping someone will
> read this before 
> dark and come take a look.  Oh yeah, the Kelp Gull is
> there too.
> 
> danny bystrak
> jug bay
> 


=====
******************************
Charlie Muise, Naturalist
Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary
Maryland, USA
cmmbirds@yahoo.com
"Leave the gun;  take the cannoli"
******************************
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