In my opinion the pale bill is a secondary field mark. On a sunny day like
today any loon's bill could appear very pale with the proper angle of view.
YBLO have a straw colored head and brown body quite distinct from the other
suspects. There is a large vertical post auricular patch, fuzzy and
ill-defined, contrasting with a paler nape and face on typical 1st winter YBLO.
The first image posted here does suggest just that.Sent from my Verizon,
Samsung Galaxy smartphone
-------- Original message --------From: Michael <michaelkrall670@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: 12/29/21 6:02 PM (GMT-08:00) To: OBOL <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Subject:
[obol] Possible Yellow-billed Loon at Cape Kiwanda today Sorry for late report,
but Kathy and I saw and photographed a distant loon that appeared similar to a
Common but had a distinctly pale bill in continued observation and photographs
(these from computer screen). Will post slightly better versions to eBIrd.
Observed looking north from the south most observation area up the dune at the
Cape.
