ML643380709

Observation details

Annual at this location. However I don't think I have ever had a fully breeding plumage bird like this. Gorgeous white on back top of head, fading smoothly to dark on rest of head. Smaller rounded head with smaller bill on direct comparison to many COLO. I did not know about this, but in flight had a distinct white line where wing meets body. Bad in flight digiscopes coming. A second bird, typical winter plumage also present. Much smaller headed than COLO, head and bill almost vanish at distance, chinstrap visible. Maybe 1.5-2 miles out but with a lot of COLO, viewing was decent in the scope. Apparently the white back of head doesn't show in my crummy digiscopes. No white flank eliminates ARLO on both birds.