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Thread: Common Loon ?????

  1. #1
    Peter Farrell
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    Default Common Loon ?????

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    Taken in Poquoson, Va this afternoon. Harsh light big crop; sorry.
    My ID (guess) comes from looking through the Sibley guide. It shows them as a winter resident to this area but this is the first I have seen. It was also the only one in the area. Hanging out with some Cormorants fishing.
    Thanks, Peter

  2. #2
    BPN Member Paul Lagasi's Avatar
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    Bill stoutness make this a Common Loon, as to Adult or Juvenile I'd go with Adult just because of face, neck coloration, and dark red eye...juveniles tend to be paler on the back and eye color duller....

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    Yes for Common Loon. In addition to the field marks Paul pointed out, that big bump on the head is also indicative of Common. It's not always obvious on all birds and all head angles, but when you see it well it can be pretty obvious. I also agree with Paul that this is an adult. The mantle and scapular feathers look like a mix of fresh and old feathers. A bird of the year should should feathers that are all the same age and should still appear fresh.

    Attached is a juvenile Common Loon I shot yesterday. This is a particularly fresh looking individual, showing loads of pale feather edges. This will wear off with time and the bird will simply appear dark. The young bird shows a similar neck pattern, bill shape, bill pattern, and bump on the head (though not as extreme) as your bird. The face is a bit duskier than your bird, but that's to be expected in a youngster.

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