Re: [cobirds] Arctic Loon at Walden Res (Jackson)

Folks, I visited Walden Reservoir a second time this morning and believe I found the correct loon again, this time in good light and close enough for photo documentation. In my assessment, the loon can look like either Arctic or Common depending on the bird's position. This means that in some views it had features pertaining to Arctic Loon but not Common Loon, and in other views it had traits of Common but not Arctic. In my view it should not be called either one or the other. I believe it may be a hybrid. I have changed my eBird entries for this bird to "Loon sp" and suggest other observers do the same. Does anyone know if this hybrid combo has ever been documented? If not, this discovery (if ever confirmed) would be truly novel and very exciting. New photos at 

https://ebird.org/checklist/S90653006.

Nick Komar

Fort Collins CO

Ps send replies to

Cobirds or contact me via text message or fb messenger. Email currently not receiving. 

On Jun 21, 2021, at 10:17 AM, 'Steven Mlodinow' via Colorado Birds <cobirds@googlegroups.com> wrote:



Greetings All

I was pondering with Nick Moore success, vs lack of, in pursuit of yonder Arctic Loon.

The Arctic Loon seems to hang around (at least Saturday) back towards the far western portion of the reservoir. Walden Reservoir can be confusing. First of all, it is oriented largely north/south. Additionally, it is easy to think you are nearing the northern end when you are not.

The road along the eastern side of the reservoir is a track, mostly, sometimes requiring care due to ruts. 

Walden ends to the north in one last lobe bordered by (in part) a rocky rim. It is also most pinched off just before this last lobe. 

The loon was best viewed just south of that "pinch," at about 40.741488 -106.319239

 

I do wonder if some folks did not go quite far enough north. The Common Loon spent most of its time a couple of hundred yards to the south of the Arctic. 

Good Luck and Good Birding

Steve

--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en
* All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate
* Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/518842652.1778397.1624292217048%40mail.yahoo.com.