[TN-Bird] Yellow-billed Loon

From: TenacBirder@xxxxxxxxxxx
To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2014 05:47:00 +0000 (UTC)
Chickamauga Dam, Hamilton Co., TN           Sunday, 1/26/2014
 
Jimmy and I were above the Chickamauga Dam, where so many great birds are
being seen today.  While searching through the Loons hoping to see either the 
Pacific or
Red-throated, I came upon a Yellow-billed Loon.
 
We were there from about noon to around 2 pm, but only spotted it in the last 
half
hour or so.  It was among the Red-head Ducks etc, so not very far out. There 
were
about 20 Loons scattered just beyond the large groups of ducks, which I was 
sorting
through for Pacific or Red-throated, but many were diving frequently. This bird 
was also
diving a lot, but stood out to me immediately because of the yellowness of his 
bill and head-shape.
 
A point came when I was able to look at him several times in a row, as he came 
up from dives
in nearly the same area. Other distinguishing marks were: the way he held his 
head
as if he were looking up, with the bill tilted skyward about 90% of the time. I 
then ckd
for size comparison with  the Common Loons nearby, and it was similar in size 
but appeared
a tad bigger. Ruled out the Pacific immediately. The double humps on the head 
were
obvious the entire time. The sun was behind us and  the bird was well lit, so I 
could see
the bill clearly. It was narrower than the bulkier Common's bill, with the 
lower mandible
being a strong yellow all the way to the face,  while the upper mandible was 
only yellow
near the face and it faded toward the bill tip.  This would distinguish it from 
an immature,
which would have yellow color only near  the tip of the bill. 
 
The back of this bird was darker than I expected, slightly mottled,
and brown rather than grey. Comparing it to the book in  my hand, it was 
exactly as described.
The back of the neck and head were determinedly lighter, but also more buff.
A couple of times it settled on the water's surface and rotated in the sun so I 
could see it 360. 
I have seen Yellow-billed Loon before, and suspected its identity before I 
began checking the
field guide, but was skeptical until checking the field marks carefully. We 
traveled to Georgia
to see it several years ago on a calm lake. Today, I was looking through a 
scope.
 
Also Seen:
*2 Eared Grebe, good facial patterns, and size comparisons next to Horned Grebe 
(close)
15+ Horned Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe
1 Red Breasted Merganser -female
3 Common Merganser - males with heads showing red (confirmed by another birder 
who saw 1
  independently from us, but in the same general area.
About 20 Common Loons, not counting the ones far out.
Canada Goose
Mallards
18 Canvasback
Hundreds of Redhead Ducks -1 Leucistic
2 Ring-necked Ducks
Greater and Lesser Scaup
White-winged Scoter, several males with good color on bills, also F and imm.
         (once counted 13 quickly)
1 Black Scoter
1 Long-tailed duck (Old Squaw)
6 Common Goldeneye
2 Double-cr. Cormorant
Ring-Billed Gull (which were surprisingly larger than many of the ducks out 
there.)
Great Blue Heron (swimming)
American Coot
 
For information's sake, you may be checked by security or park service. I have 
been
asked once to give my name and an explanation of why I am there, and once to 
view my pictures. 
They don't object so far to us being there, but don't be offended if you are 
checked out.
 
Cynthia Wilkerson
Hixson
Hamilton Co. TN
[TN-Bird] Yellow-billed Loon

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