ML339107861

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Media notes

This was a surprise! Note the pink webbing between the toes!

Observation details

Continuing bird. A large, thick-necked, large -headed loon with a very large bill. The lower mandible angled somewhat sharply upward and bill often held slightly above the horizontal, accentuating the upturned bill "look". Bill gray but distal half notably washed with a straw color. (I noted on photographs that the proximal 1/3 of the maxilla appears dark on top. Mostly had its head tucked in while I watched except for two brief periods. During that time I noted the very rectangular shaped top of crown, perhaps even with a slight bump just before the forehead. Back was the darkest portion of the bird appearing to have some light speckling in it, but no noticeable pattern to my eye. Light, brownish-washed gray sides with a thin line of white showing just above the water line. It appeared whitest on the breast which may have also been the color of the rest of the underparts but I never saw them. Face a light ivory color with dark on the forehead and crown, coming down around the eye and blending down the nape to connect with the back. Also a slightly browner small but noticeable spot behind, but not connected to the eye. It flapped its large webbed feet in the air a few times. Outer portion of feet were a medium-dark gray as were the "toes" while the inner webbing appeared bright pink (!) in the early morning sun. The upward angled mandible (and generally hold the head up above the horizontal), the large head and especially thick neck, the slight bump just after the forehead, the small darkish spot behind the eye all point to a Yellow-billed Loon rather than a Common Loon..

Technical information

Dimensions

1533 pixels x 942 pixels

Original file size

1 MB