[MDOsprey] A note of caution
Hoffman, Mark (MHOFFMAN@dnr.state.md.us)
Fri, 5 Nov 1999 18:23:56 -0500
Y-b. Loon seekers --
To follow-up on Jane Kostenko's post from this afternoon, I was at the Sea
Breeze from 10 am to 1 pm today, 11/5. Present continuously was Patty Craig,
off and on were Kyle Rambo, Gail Mackiernan, Barry Cooper and Jane K. and
others. While I was there, I did not seen any loons suggestive of YBLO.
There were probable about 25 birds, off and on, within the range required
for this id or possible id. There was a large feeding flock of 35 or so
loons, well north of the Sea Breeze, toward the Calvert County side and the
power plant. Very distant.
When I first got there, the fellow claiming to have seen a Yellow-billed
Loon today was present, but the bird he had been watching had drifted far
from view. This is the bird Patty saw, but at considerable distance. In
discussing this bird with Patty, Gail and Barry, it was apparent there were
significant differences between the bird she had seen and the details we
knew of the bird observed yesterday, particularly in the head pattern. My
understanding is the bird Paul O'Brien et al. observed was in transitional
plumage (i.e., a bird molting to basic plumage, it lack the paler brownish
crown and nape, dark ear-covert patch, etc. of a bird in full basic plumage,
and showed some brownish cast to the throat and neck [Paul--correct me if I
am wrong]). Patty said today's bird had a white throat/neck area, I believe.
My point in noting these differences, is that while there may well be one
(or more?!?) YBLOs in the Patuxent River, let's not collectively jump to
that conclusion, absent close, detailed and documented observation. I think
we (at least long-time Ospreyers) remember where mass hysteria can lead.
Look at these birds with a critical eye, questioning and doubting. This
would indeed be a very rare bird for Maryland, and although not unexpected,
critical details, such as the color of the distal 1/3 of the culmen, are not
easily observed. For example, in Kaufman's excellent discussion of loon id
in Advanced Birding, he notes "paleness of the bill is not a good field
mark; many winter Commons (especially juveniles) have mostly pale bills" and
"a close view or careful study is necessary to verify this mark [the pale
outer culmen], because the dark culmen area on a Common tends to become very
narrow toward the tip of the bill and may be hard to see against a
background of dark water", etc., etc.
Please, please, please don't take this as a personal shot against anyone.
You all know how much I'd like to see a YBLO in Maryland! Keep trying!!!!!!!
Mark Hoffman