[obol] Newport RED-NECKED GREBE, ODD LOON: Where is Harry Nehls when you need him?

[Norgren Family]

     Consider Yellow-billed. There have been first
year birds at Yaquina Bay the past two summers. THe
one my daughter and I found at Sally's Bend last July
was very pale compared to typical juvenile Commons,
especially above the shoulders. The illustrations in
the various N American field guides also failed to
give a good match of illustration, including Sibley.
Lars Jonsson's Birds of Europe has a far better
picture of immature Y-B and extensive text. Lars Norgren
On Jul 2, 2007, at 9:31 AM, Bill Clemons wrote:

> Sunday 7/01/07, my mother (Olive), Debby de Carlo and
> I went for a drive to the coast.
>
> More touring/Whale watching than birding But:
>
> RED-NECKED GREBE:
> In Newport at the South Jetty near the first line of
> rocks we saw a Brilliant breeding plumage RED-NECKED
> GREBE leisurely feeding in the water near the road.
> We were only about 50 yards at most from the bird,
> which made for Excellent scope views.  Having only
> seen this species a few times before, I was quite
> impressed.  What I noticed this time that I had either
> forgotten or never noted before, were the "tuft-like
> bumps" atop its head, which barely show in some
> guides.  On this individual, they were So Prominent
> that I came away thinking that this Showy aspect of
> the GREBE'S plumage reminded me of the Pointy "Haired
> Boss" in the Dilbert comic strip. A Very Impressive
> bird indeed!
>
> ODD LOON:
> There was also a PUZZLING LOON (at least for us) that
> looks like NONE in any of my guidebooks (Sibley, Nat
> Geo, Peterson).  This LOON, I Assume is a first year
> COMMON LOON, but its head and neck were NEARLY ALL
> WHITE.   The bill is a light blue-grey.  It was very
> actively preening (I assume it was oiling up its
> feathers) bathing, and
> standing-tall-in-the-water/stretching/wing-flapping.
> We never saw the bird dive for food.
> There is a small amount of brown from the base of the
> bill and up onto the forehead and somewhat around the
> eye.  From there to the base of the neck the LOON gave
> the impression of being almost all white.  As usual at
> times like this I usually look around for other
> birders (none to be seen), and say out loud: "Where is
> Harry Nehls when you need him?"  I googled images of
> Common Loon juveniles and could not fine anything even
> close.
>
> Can anyone shed light?
>
> Bill Clemons
> SW of Portland in Mtn Park
> Willclemons AT Yahoo dot com
>
>
>        
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