IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE RARE BIRD REPORT FORM

Record #: 9-B-07

SPECIES: Yellow-billed Loon

HOW MANY: one (1)

REPORTER: Terry Gray
890 Stefany Lane
Moscow, Idaho 83843
208-882-1585

REPORTER EMAIL: clgtlg@moscow.com

OTHER OBSERVERS: Earl Chapin
401 S. Ella
Sandpoint Idaho
208-263-2800

DATE REPORT PREPARED: 4/20/07

DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED: 4/16/2007

LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION: Hawkins Point Sunnyside Road Lake Pend Oreille between Sandpoint and Tressle Creek Idaho

HABITAT: Lake

CONDITIONS: Observed this bird for approximately 1 hour. Light wind with overcast sky with temp in mid 50's. Used a12-x40 Leopold Spotting Scope. Bird got to approximately 100 yards for me.

DID YOU TAKE NOTES?: Yes, later the same day

DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?: Yes, during the observation

WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?: The Sibly Guide to Birds.

DESCRIPTION: Loons. Observing this bird it appeared to be molting out of 1st summer plumage into Adult nonbreeding adult. Back was brown with pale barring. This bird also had a bery pale neck and head with dark patch on auriculars. Outter half of bill entirely pale. Head shape was similar to Common loon with larger heavier bill than a Pacific Loon. BEHAVIOR: Bird was mainly hunting, diving and surfacing often. This bird did not interact with a Common loon and a Red-throated loon that was near by.

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU? After watching this bird it was obvious to me it was a Yellow-billed loon do to the color of the bill and the wavy barring on the back and size of this bird.

HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY? The birds very light yellow bill and pail barring on back seperated it from a juvenile Common Loon that I had observed often last year and earlier this spring at the same location.

EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES): This is life bird for me so I wanted to make sure in my mind that I was seeing this bird as a Yellow-billed Loon to add to my life list.

GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE: Been an active birder for 7 years leading field trips for Palouse Audubon and Canyon Birders for the past 5 years.

WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?: Photos (2 below)