[obol] Afternoon (Arctic) Looning

[Rob Neyer]

I got a late start from Portland, was stuck at the Westport mudslide for 45
minutes, and thus didn't arrive at Brownsmead until 1:30pm.

Expecting to see 1) an Arctic Loon and b) other birders, I found neither. I
scanned the river between the road bridge and the railroad bridge a few
times, but turned up only Western Grebes, D-C Cormorants and a single
Red-throated loon. Just to pass the time, I also drove the nearby roads and
saw the usual Brownsmead winterers, including Hooded Mergansers and a lovely
flock of Cackling Geese.

Finally, at 2:45 I was about to give up when Wayne Weber arrived, all the
way from Vancouver. We got a fantastic look at a hunting White-tailed Kite,
but no Arctic Loon. Wayne suggested we head to the bridge and scope
eastward, and in the distance he spotted our target bird (lifer for both of
us). He called it, but I got just a glimpse and we drove west to a boat
landing for a better look ... but when we got there, the bird had
disappeared.

At 3:45, I drove back to Pentilla Road just in case, and was rewarded with
the Loon in its usual spot, a few hundred meters west of the road bridge.
With a squall now overhead, bringing a cold, driving rain, Wayne arrived for
his first good look, and both of us had the bird in our scopes, unmistakable
thanks to its bright white flanks.

Lessons learned: a) if west of the bridge fails, look east, 2) be patient,
and iii) your chances are better if B.C.'s most famous birder shows up.
-robneyer

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