[obol] "arctic loons" and Arctic Loons

[Mike Patterson]

I want everyone to get out their copy of "Field Guide to Western
Birds" Not the 1990 3rd edition "Western Birds", you need the
2nd edition, preferably the one you started birding with in 1970 
(though I can make my point the with a first edition even though
it's labeled Pacific Loon).

You'll note that Plate 1 shows an "arctic loon" -- not surpising 
given that Arctic and Pacific were lumped at the time.  Note the
picture.  That's right, it's an Artic Loon.  

The 3rd edition has a new color plate with a proper Pacific Loon
and the text says Arctic is "...said to show a whitish flank patch."

My point here is NOT "oh look, Peterson got it wrong"

My point is, anybody who owns only a 2nd edition Peterson's may 
be puzzled by all the hullabaloo over the Brownsmead loon AND may
actually see lots of "arctic loons" in February.  Just because 
I own every edition of Peterson, doesn't mean everyone else does.

Another piece of Peterson trivia:
The first edition has an illustration of a Clark's Grebe labeled
Western Grebe, interesting mostly because Clark's is the less
widely distributed form.

-- 
Mike Patterson               
Astoria, OR                    
celata at pacifier.com  
 
Some thoughts on the perfect storm
http://www.surfbirds.com/blogs/mbalame/archives/2007/12/storm2007.html