[MDOsprey] Pacific Loon today (11/23)
GAIL@UMDD.UMD.EDU
Tue, 23 Nov 99 16:37:42 EST
Hi all --
Barry and I went up to Cecil County to look for the Pacific Loon, accessing the
river via Bald Friar Rd. It was foggy and the Conowingo Pool was glassy
calm. The first birds we saw, only 75 yards off the parking area at the RR
trcaks, were the Pacific Loon and a Common Loon! Needless to say we got
great looks for quite a while in the Questar. Eventually, the birds drifted
out about 1/3 of the way across to Harford Co., and began to feed actively.
They also were tending to drift upstream and finally we lost them in the
mist and glare.
The Pacific Loon seems to have quite a scaly back with the "sawtooth" pattern
which I had thought was characteristic of first-winter birds. Any thoughts
on this? (If it is a youngster, than it cannot of course be the same individual
which visited us two years ago).
Not too much else about, some Bonies on the river and a Hermit Thrush at
the parking area, but no Juncos of any variety.
Gail Mackiernan