Pacific Loon! - Portage Lake, MI - 27 Dec 2007
Robin and I drove out to the Portage Lake Yacht Club this afternoon and we met up w/ a few other birders who had scoped the bird out in the middle of the lake. Only a small patch of open water remained and the loon was swimming w/ a number of Ring-necked Ducks, an American Coot and a Pied-billed Grebe. Lighting was horrible today, and digiscoping was impossible from this distance. However, I did take a video at full zoom on the scope (60X) and on the Coolpix P5000 (3X). Using Adobe Premiere Elements the best I could do was double the image magnification and apply a bit of sharpening.
Nevertheless, it was possible to see a nice silver sheen to the back of the head and a small, straight-pointed bill. The thin neck ring was difficult to see, and I'm still not sure that it was visible. However, the loon lacked the 'collar' typical of wintering Common Loons, and the heavier, upturned bill. It swam back and forth quite a bit, and rolled onto its back a number of times while it preened. It would then rise up, flap its wings while treading water backward, then swim forward a few feet.
Portage Lake (Washtenaw Co.), Washtenaw, Michigan, US
Dec 27, 2007 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Protocol: Stationary
Checklist Comments: Reported yesterday by Maggie Jewett
1 species
Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica) 1 A Pacific Loon was found on Portage Lake yesterday by Maggie Jewett, and word spread quickly. A number of sightings later, and some nice images by Darlene Friedman should confirm the bird as a first record for Washtenaw Co.
Robin and I drove out to the Portage Lake Yacht Club this afternoon and we met up w/ a few other birders who had scoped the bird out in the middle of the lake. Only a small patch of open water remained and the loon was swimming w/ a number of Ring-necked Ducks, an American Coot and a Pied-billed Grebe. Lighting was horrible today, and digiscoping was impossible from this distance. However, I did take a video at full zoom on the scope (60X) and on the Coolpix P5000 (3X).it was possible to see a nice silver sheen to the back of the head and a small, straight-pointed bill. The thin neck ring was difficult to see, and I'm still not sure that it was visible. However, the loon lacked the 'collar' typical of wintering Common Loons, and the heavier, upturned bill. It swam back and forth quite a bit, and rolled onto its back a number of times while it preened. It would then rise up, flap its wings while treading water backward, then swim forward a few feet.
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S4
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Dec 27, 2007 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Protocol: Stationary
Checklist Comments: Reported yesterday by Maggie Jewett
1 species
Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica) 1 A Pacific Loon was found on Portage Lake yesterday by Maggie Jewett, and word spread quickly. A number of sightings later, and some nice images by Darlene Friedman should confirm the bird as a first record for Washtenaw Co.
Robin and I drove out to the Portage Lake Yacht Club this afternoon and we met up w/ a few other birders who had scoped the bird out in the middle of the lake. Only a small patch of open water remained and the loon was swimming w/ a number of Ring-necked Ducks, an American Coot and a Pied-billed Grebe. Lighting was horrible today, and digiscoping was impossible from this distance. However, I did take a video at full zoom on the scope (60X) and on the Coolpix P5000 (3X).it was possible to see a nice silver sheen to the back of the head and a small, straight-pointed bill. The thin neck ring was difficult to see, and I'm still not sure that it was visible. However, the loon lacked the 'collar' typical of wintering Common Loons, and the heavier, upturned bill. It swam back and forth quite a bit, and rolled onto its back a number of times while it preened. It would then rise up, flap its wings while treading water backward, then swim forward a few feet.
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S4
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
