ML504407271
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age
- Not specified
- Sex
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- Playback
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Observation details
Drove over expressway ponds just to check for scoters on the way home from work. Picked something out in the middle that looked like a cormorant. Kept staring at it because the bill was off. After a few more minutes of staring it down in my 8x42s, I was beginning to think RNGR. The bird was about the size of a cormorant, showcased the rear crown peak, long slender daggerlike bill, and correct head plumage color transitions. I could even pick out some red on the neck. At one point it lifted its wings and flapped, showcasing loon-like white/silver tones underneath. I called Milton Hobbs and luckily he was able to arrive within a half hour with his scope and camera. y now the bird had drifted very far away to the east, so we headed to the brickyard ponds. We now had a closer view of the bird. We were both SET on RNGR after a half hour of good views. The bird even began to call, which we recorded. Suddenly the bird got a running start on top of the water and took off - doing two circles before heading northwest over the expressway. I carefully watched it go down into what had to be the ditch pond. We booked it over, and discovered that the bird had indeed gone down in the ditch pond. The bird was now wailing, and light couldn't have been better. I set up the scope as Milton snapped away and quickly had a horrible feeling in my stomach. This new light had unveiled what appeared to be a totally different bird: white speckles all across the uppers and flanks; no longer a noticeable rear crown peak, and completely different facial nd neck tones. We looked at each other and admitted that we had been fooled, and this was a loon. It made sense: the wails, the enormous size in flight, and the snow white tones underneath. However, the bill was STILL OFF for COLO. Thankfully Hale Barrett and John Patten Moss arrived with only mere minutes of fading light left, to agree that this was a hatch year RTLO showcasing unusual plumage. Throughout the chaos I witnessed the bird dive for up to 60 seconds at a time. When it wasn’t diving it looked out of place, separated and looking around for familiar faces (even calling out).
Technical information
- Recorder
- Microphone
- Accessories
- Original file size
- 3.51 MB