The Sea Breeze picnic table effect has hit! Yes, the possible YELLOW-BILLED LOON, reported November 3 by Charlie Muise was seen from the Sea Breeze Restaurant in St. Mary's County (you remember, the crabhouse with the Kelp Gull?) by Paul O'Brien and visiting Idaho birder John Gatchet (very familiar with yellow-billed loons) at 12:30 today, November 4. They watched it from across the shore until it flew off downriver at 2 p.m. (minutes before I got there). Apologies in advance to Paul O'Brien for any errors (the errors will be mine, not his) in this posting. I was scribbling notes and key words, but one line I wrote word for word, "I feel very confident about it." -- "it" being the ID of this loon as yellow-billed. Mind you that the loon in question was viewed from across the river (it was in Calvert County waters the whole time, including when it flew) and there was shimmer, which Paul said had lessened as time passed. Conditions were/are: clear skies, mild breeze, temps in the 50s, bright sun. Time: 12:30 p.m. - 1:55 or 2 p.m. Here goes: o intermediate plumage o two dark brown bands on the neck, seen best when it flew. Usually only saw one band when it was diving o neck was "substantial" o very dark/dark brown head o no auricular spot (Paul explained the coloration on the head that made this, but I didn't get it all down) o straw yellow bill (Paul said that flash of light color (the bill) was what first caught his eye as he was scanning the distant loons) o bill deep at base with sharp gonydial break halfway out o bill was kept upright most of the time o some duskiness at base, top and bottom (culmen), not at the gape o when it flew, Paul felt the legs and feet were light/pinkish, and gave the impression of not being as big as the legs and feet of the common loon While it was too far out for this detail, what had captured Paul's interest in this sighting was Charlie's description of the eye-ring (I believe I've got that right, not the neck ring). The loon was at the Sea Breeze, but on the picnic table side of the restaurant, and directly across the river, where there is a cluster of buildings on a grassy slope, then a single building on a grassy slope. The bird fed between those areas, if I've got this right. Jane Kostenko jkostenko@somd.lib.md.us California, Maryland Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift; that's why they call it the PRESENT.