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Hi all, here is the follow up report to the posting I made earlier in the week on the Pacific Loon, Dad, Fulton and I observed last weekend at the rocky point to the right of Port George. - All the Best in Birding - Clarence
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Viewing Conditions .................................................
Lighting: Soft light conditions under partially overcast skies. Sun located over left shoulders of viewers, providing nice fill light on the subject and a lack of silhouetting, or in other words a front lit not back lit subject.
Tidal Conditions: Two and a half hours after low tide.
Interference: There was a very light haze over the water, visible through scope. No precipitation. Light winds.
Surface Conditions: Calm to partially calm surface, with most waves heights being under a half meter allowing the bird to be visible at all times.
Behavior of the Bird: On surface at all times, sitting and preening.
Distance to Bird: Over 500 meters and under a kilometer, barely visible to naked eye, field marks discernible through binoculars, additional details visible though scope.
Description .......................................................
Size: Size of a small loon, Red-throated Loon size, much smaller than a Common Loon.
Notable Structural Features:
Head & Neck: Head was well rounded. Neck widest at midpoint.
Bill: bill length shorter than head, bill straight not upturned.
Behavior: Held head and bill level when not preening.
Age: Suspected Second Summer Plumaged Bird: It is difficult to find pictures of second summer plumaged Pacific Loons but a reference to fact that they exist is inferred by Kenn Kaufman on page 21 of his “Advanced Birding” guide when he talks about the ‘Second Winter’ plumage of the immatures.
Plumage Features & Details:
- Crown and neck gray, palest on nape.
- Throat & Foreneck -black.
- Breast -white.
- Demarcation between throat and breast was curved.
- Flanks/Sides - dark.
- Back - black. There have been a slightly pale area near mid-back.
Note: On page 21 of the Kaufman he states. “ Adults also have white spots on the upperwing coverts, lacking in juveniles but on a swimming loon the coverts are usually hidden by overlapping scapulars and side feathers.”
Experiences of Observers with this Species............................
Clarence Stevens Senior - Lifer and Nova Scotia Lifer
Clarence Stevens II - Studied this species during multiple visits to British Columbia. Second individual observed in Nova Scotia.
Fulton Lavender - Studied this species on its breeding grounds in northern Quebec. Observed during seabird surveys for Canadian Wildlife Service. Third individual observed in Nova Scotia.
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Index of Subjects