A report of a YELLOW-BILLED LOON at Assateague NWR on Aug. 14 was reported to the Voice today after the report had been completed.  Because the observer is not a subscriber to MDOSPREY I'm posting it for her.
Joe Coleman

Sorry for the late report, this is the first time I've accessed my email in a few days.  I'd like to report a Yellow-Billed Loon (Gavia adamsii) seen at Assateague NWR in Maryland on Sunday, December 14.  It was off the shore of the ORV beach area.  I and my companion watched it for at least fifteen minutes.  We got several good looks in clear light as it dove and surfaced.  The bird had a completely pale bill (no dark ridge), pale foreneck, pale cheek and pale smudgy patch behind its eye, and an additional pale area on the side of its neck.  The contrasting areas of the neck were really light gray, rather than black or dark brown.  The bird's back was brown and strongly scaled. 

Sincerely,

Jodi Bucknam
(resident of Alexandria, VA)