[MDOsprey] Ambiguities
Gregory B Miller (gregorym@erols.com)
Thu, 04 Nov 1999 22:25:23 -0500
Yikes! My previous message is not too clear. Immature Common Loons
have pale bills, sometimes looking yellowish much like a Yellow-billed
Loon. The outer tip of the upper mandible (culmen) is dark on the
Common. The outer 1/2-2/3 of the Yellow-billed is *all-pale* (thanks
Gail). For an excellent discussion, see K. Kaufman's _Advanced Guide to
Birding_.
A number of birders were present this evening at Sandgates, but we were
unable to find the loon. At least 15 Commons were present as was a
single Red-throated. (BTW, 2 of the 15 Commons were immatures with paler
bills).
Since the bird flew down river around 2pm this afternoon, I'll be
checking the river from my yard at first light tomorrow morning (3 miles
south of Sandgates as the fish swims). If not successful there (hey--it
would be a great *yard* bird), I'll head back out to the Seabreeze and
scan the waters before I have to go do the work thing...
...and maybe I'll find out what hit my thistle feeders today. I went a
whole week with several goldfinches that ate about 1/4 of the largest of
my feeders. Tonight, the largest feeder had only 1/4 remaining! And I
wasn't here to see!
--
Greg Miller
Hollywood, Maryland, USA
Home- gregorym@erols.com or hawk-owl@yahoo.com
WWW- http://www.erols.com/gregorym