ML516335991

Age and sex

Juvenile, Unknown sex - 1

Media notes

A continuing, juvenile Yellow-billed Loon, initially found on 22 December 2022 by Matthew and Darren Pendleton, was here photographed by Curtis A. Marantz on 24 December 2022 in the Quivira Basin, Mission Bay, San Diego, San Diego County, California.

Observation details

Today the loon spent the entire time under observation in the middle of the Quivira Basin, where it foraged actively by diving between the bait barge and the eastern docks a bit to the north of the boat rental pier at the Seaforth Marina. Given that I had studied the continuing loon the previous day at Dana Landing, and that it was relatively distant when seen from land today, I concentrated on getting photos from the kayak today, and did not study this bird all that carefully from the kayak. I did however see this bird preening today, when I noted that the breast and belly were white and unmarked, and also that the flanks were clouded with gray. The undertail coverts were light, but I was unsure in the field if they were white or gray, and it was only in my photos that I can see that the short, rounded tail was quite dark. I also thought the legs and feet were blackish, and also that the toes were at least lobed and possibly webbed.

Technical information

Model

ILCE-7RM5

Lens

FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS

ISO

320

Focal length

600 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/8.0

Shutter speed

1/2500 sec

Dimensions

4118 pixels x 2652 pixels

Original file size

9.28 MB