Re: [MDOsprey] A note of caution
PObrien776@aol.com
Fri, 5 Nov 1999 19:55:41 EST
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Mark, et al.
I'll try attaching my write-up of the 11/4 YBLO sighting. It's in Simple
Text. If that doesn't work, I'll just rewrite the salient details.
Paul O'Brien
Rockville, MD 20850
pobrien776@aol.com
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Yellow-billed Loon=0DPatuxent River Opposite Seabreeze Restaurant =0DSt. Mar=
y's County, MD=0DNovember 4, 1999=0D=0DObservers: Paul J. O'Brien, Maryland=
=0D John Gatchet, Idaho=0D=0DAt approximately 12:30PM I obse=
rved a bird with the overall size and shape of a Common Loon, but exhibiting=
a light yellow bill, floating, preening and occasionally diving in the rive=
r near the Calvert Co. shoreline. It was located at the south end of a larg=
e grassy area, the southern of two such grassy areas on the opposite shore. =
The day was clear and bright with the sun high but behind me. My attention=
was first drawn to the bill which stood out prominently, even at such a gre=
at distance. I was using a Swarovski AT 80 HD spotting scope at 60 power. =
Initially there was some shimmer that subsequently diminished. There were =
four Common Loons working the near shore, but they never approached the YBLO=
for direct comparisons.=0D=0DOverall the bird appeared to be in mid-moult f=
rom alternate to basic plumage. The crown and nape were dark chocolate brow=
n which did not contrast with the brown back. The throat and foreneck were =
whitish with a noticable dark brown neck ring just above the water line. Th=
e brown crown and nape extended below the eye and down the sides of the neck=
so that the auriculars were still in a dark field. Thus the dark auricular=
spot was not yet visible. The distance was too great to discern the buffy =
scalloping on the back mentioned by Charlie Muise on his first observation o=
f Nov. 3, nor did I notice whether the high point of the back was over the s=
houlders or further back. The outstanding feature of the bird was its bill,=
which was thick at the base with an apparently straight culmen. The lower =
mandible was straight for about half its length exhibiting a sharp gonydeal =
break upwards, thence straight to the tip. The entire length of the bill wa=
s straw yellow with what appeared to be dusky areas near the base of the cul=
men and the base of the lower mandible at the throat. To accentuate the upw=
ard thrust of the lower mandible, the bird held its bill slightly above hori=
zontal the entire time.=0D=0DAt about 1PM John Gatchet arrived to photograph=
the Kelp Gull. Having spent many years along the northwest coast he had se=
en many YBLOs and immediately confirmed the identification. After about 10 =
minutes the bird began diving repeatedly and thereafter spent very little ti=
me on the surface, which John noted was typical YBLO behavior, and of the YB=
LO I observed Dec. 26, 1997 in Oswego, NY. It worked its way upstream past =
the northernmost grassy area to a pair of docks. Its surface appearances la=
sted only a few seconds, not enough time to get it in focus. Finally, about=
2:55, it took off and flew far downstream. At first it gained altitude and=
was well above the tree line, passing two signal towers, then descended, on=
ly to be lost from sight when it went below the tree line. The distance cou=
ld have been consistent with the mouth of St. Leonard's Creek, where it may =
have been seen the next morning by Greg Miller. In flight the bill again wa=
s the most outstanding feature, but there appeared to be two dark brown ring=
s on the fully extended neck. The entire underside was white and the feet p=
lus an equal length of tarsus protruded beyond the tail tip. Oddly, the fee=
t and tarsi appeared dusky pinkish. Whether this was a trick of the lightin=
g or is some age or gender related feature is not clear. The flying bird re=
sembled a Common Loon in size and shape but the flight seemed more ponderous=
. The entire upper surface appeared uniformly dark. I did not notice wheth=
er there were white primary shafts. =
=
=0D=0DPaul J. O'Bri=
en=0D12 Duke St. South=0DRockville, MD 20850-1014=0D301-424-6491=0Dpobrien77=
6@aol.com
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