Date: 7/15/25 10:13 am From: Dan Singer via groups.io <dsg2...> Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Pt. Reyes, Fish Docks, question about loons, 7.14.25
Hi Denise,
Note in your quote from Birds of the World that it says “Rarely observed in most wintering areas during summer...” Summering loons are not rare off the Marin and Sonoma coasts and many other sites along the Pacific Coast, especially to our north. Loons take several years to reach maturity so many of these birds are sub-adults. I believe it is unknown at what age Red-throateds (and others loon species?) will breed for the first time, so maybe even once they acquire a more mature alternate (breeding) plumage some birds may still not move north to breed. Note in Larry Nigro’s photos some adult-like birds show very worn primaries suggesting these feathers are not be as strong (more prone to wear) as those of more mature birds, suggesting these are non-breeders as opposed to early arrivals. No doubt there are additional reasons some loons may summer south of the breeding grounds. Whether these birds wintered at this location is not known, though it seems reasonable to think some may have.
Cheers,
Dan Singer
Marin
> On Jul 14, 2025, at 22:34, Denise Hamilton via groups.io <2napabirders...> wrote:
>
> Hi all, Tired of sitting at home and didn't want to go birding inland because of the heat, so headed over to Pt. Reyes. Went out to the Fish Docks, walking down the road to get down to the water's edge. There we saw a 'flock' of RED-THROATED LOONS - 20 together right next to the shore and more a bit further out. About 1/2 of them had red throats & silvery heads. There were also 10+ PACIFIC LOONS in various plumages. And, one RED-NECKED GREBE in decent breeding plumage, but a bit too far off to see it clearly. Did not see any COMMON LOONS.
>
> When I got home I went to Birds of the World, to read about the loons. It says, "Rarely observed in most wintering areas during the summer, although juveniles remain at sea throughout the year." It also says that fall migration starts the earliest in mid-August. So does this mean that all of these loons actually wintered here and have just stayed put? Amazing to see so many together!
>
> Swainson's Thrushes singing all over! Also a lot of singing Wrentits & Purple Finches. American Goldfinches and Pine Siskins were abundant among all the other birds we saw.
>
> Happy birding!
> Denise & David Hamilton
> Napa
>
Date: 7/15/25 9:17 am From: larry nigro via groups.io <larrymtb...> Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Pt. Reyes, Fish Docks, question about loons, 7.14.25
Hi Denise et al
Molly and I have also noticed big numbers of Red Throated Loons in Drake's
Bay this summer
[image: 6J0A7956.JPG]
[image: 6J0A7952.JPG]
[image: 6J0A7886.JPG]
. The otters seem happy about it. We believe this photo is a river otter
eating a Red Throated Loon which we viewed from the elephant seal lookout.
The otter hauled out onto the rocks, ate and headed up to New Willows.
Bird on!
Larry
On Mon, Jul 14, 2025 at 11:34 PM Denise Hamilton via groups.io
<2napabirders...> wrote:
> Hi all, Tired of sitting at home and didn't want to go birding inland
> because of the heat, so headed over to Pt. Reyes. Went out to the Fish
> Docks, walking down the road to get down to the water's edge. There we saw
> a 'flock' of RED-THROATED LOONS - 20 together right next to the shore and
> more a bit further out. About 1/2 of them had red throats & silvery
> heads. There were also 10+ PACIFIC LOONS in various plumages. And, one
> RED-NECKED GREBE in decent breeding plumage, but a bit too far off to see
> it clearly. Did not see any COMMON LOONS.
>
> When I got home I went to Birds of the World, to read about the loons. It
> says, "Rarely observed in most wintering areas during the summer, although
> juveniles remain at sea throughout the year." It also says that fall
> migration starts the earliest in mid-August. *So does this mean that all
> of these loons actually wintered here and have just stayed put? * Amazing
> to see so many together!
>
> Swainson's Thrushes singing all over! Also a lot of singing Wrentits &
> Purple Finches. American Goldfinches and Pine Siskins were abundant among
> all the other birds we saw.
>
> Happy birding!
> Denise & David Hamilton
> Napa
>
>
>
Date: 7/14/25 10:34 pm From: Denise Hamilton via groups.io <2napabirders...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Pt. Reyes, Fish Docks, question about loons, 7.14.25
Hi all, Tired of sitting at home and didn't want to go birding inland because of the heat, so headed over to Pt. Reyes. Went out to the Fish Docks, walking down the road to get down to the water's edge. There we saw a 'flock' of RED-THROATED LOONS - 20 together right next to the shore and more a bit further out. About 1/2 of them had red throats & silvery heads. There were also 10+ PACIFIC LOONS in various plumages. And, one RED-NECKED GREBE in decent breeding plumage, but a bit too far off to see it clearly. Did not see any COMMON LOONS.
When I got home I went to Birds of the World, to read about the loons. It says, "Rarely observed in most wintering areas during the summer, although juveniles remain at sea throughout the year." It also says that fall migration starts the earliest in mid-August. *So does this mean that all of these loons actually wintered here and have just stayed put? * Amazing to see so many together!
Swainson's Thrushes singing all over! Also a lot of singing Wrentits & Purple Finches. American Goldfinches and Pine Siskins were abundant among all the other birds we saw.
Date: 7/7/25 9:09 pm From: Peter Pyle via groups.io <ppyle...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Short-tailed Albatross today off Fort Ross
Passing along a message from Kirstin Lindquist (below).
A good opportunity to mention we still may have some space on our July 15th and 16th trips out of Noyo Harbor, where four Short-taileds have been seen so far this spring. Now this one indicates they are still around. It looks like a different bird from the three we had in April and May over Noyo Canyon. https://noyopelagics.com/
Cheers, Peter
A Short-tailed Albatross was sighted 13.7 nm off Fort Ross, in Sonoma County from the NOAA research vessel RV Reuben Lasker on 7/7/25. The bird was observed during an ACCESS research cruise, a joint effort of the Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries and Point Blue Conservation Science. The juvenile/first cycle bird approached the vessel at close range and departed the area within a few minutes. This was the first STAL counted during wildlife observations in 21 years of ACCESS research cruises.
Date: 7/4/25 10:30 am From: Zac Denning via groups.io <zdenning1...> Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Odd loon at Bodega Bay
PS - I should have mentioned that the white flank feature helps distinguish
between Pacific and Arctic Loons, but otherwise isn’t especially unique or
useful for ID in other loon species.
Zac Denning
On Fri, Jul 4, 2025 at 9:56 AM Zac Denning via groups.io <zdenning1=
<gmail.com...> wrote:
> Hi Gene,
>
> Loons can be flustering.
>
> White flanks aren't that unusual for a first year Common Loon, and their
> appearance also really varies. There's also variation amongst individual
> loons in their plumage (plus wear / fading), as well as the bird's posture.
> In addition, loons can control their buoyancy by inflating their air sacs,
> or (with the help of their solid bones), when they deflate their air sacs,
> they can ride low in preparation for diving. This means that the amount of
> visible white flank will also vary depending on the bird's buoyancy at that
> moment.
>
> Here are photos of a single individual first year Common Loon, showing
> how buoyancy affects its appearance:
> Low-riding - no flank showing: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/621303059 > Higher-floating bird, with lots of pale flank:
> https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/620522204 > <https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/101530261> >
> The head position, with bill tilted slightly upward, isn't diagnostic by
> itself. Many loons will tilt their bills up slightly, and it doesn't look
> very pronounced in your photos. This feature is most useful in Red-throated
> loons, which spend more time with their bills tilted upwards. But as
> always, using a combination of features (posture, plumage, etc) is usually
> most reliable.
>
> In this bird, the jagged border of the neck line, and deeply angled lower
> mandible, points away from a Pacific/Arctic Loon.
>
> I hope that helps,
>
> Zac Denning
>
> On Fri, Jul 4, 2025 at 8:15 AM NANCY AND EUGENE HUNN via groups.io
> <enhunn323...> wrote:
>
>> Leaning towards.immature female COLO rather than Arctic but still puzzled
>> by white flanks and bill tilt.
>>
>> Gene Hunn
>> Petaluma
>>
>>
>
>
Date: 7/4/25 9:56 am From: Zac Denning via groups.io <zdenning1...> Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Odd loon at Bodega Bay
Hi Gene,
Loons can be flustering.
White flanks aren't that unusual for a first year Common Loon, and their
appearance also really varies. There's also variation amongst individual
loons in their plumage (plus wear / fading), as well as the bird's posture.
In addition, loons can control their buoyancy by inflating their air sacs,
or (with the help of their solid bones), when they deflate their air sacs,
they can ride low in preparation for diving. This means that the amount of
visible white flank will also vary depending on the bird's buoyancy at that
moment.
The head position, with bill tilted slightly upward, isn't diagnostic by
itself. Many loons will tilt their bills up slightly, and it doesn't look
very pronounced in your photos. This feature is most useful in Red-throated
loons, which spend more time with their bills tilted upwards. But as
always, using a combination of features (posture, plumage, etc) is usually
most reliable.
In this bird, the jagged border of the neck line, and deeply angled lower
mandible, points away from a Pacific/Arctic Loon.
I hope that helps,
Zac Denning
On Fri, Jul 4, 2025 at 8:15 AM NANCY AND EUGENE HUNN via groups.io
<enhunn323...> wrote:
> Leaning towards.immature female COLO rather than Arctic but still puzzled
> by white flanks and bill tilt.
>
> Gene Hunn
> Petaluma
>
>
>
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Date: 7/3/25 5:41 pm From: NANCY AND EUGENE HUNN via groups.io <enhunn323...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Bodega Bay loons
I studied a group of three summering loons along the north shore at Bodega Bay this afternoon (July 3) which seemed to include three species, our long lingering Yellow-billed, a nice Common Loon coming into alternate plumage, and a third bird in basic plumage that to my eye was slightly smaller and less robust than the Common and which tipped its bill up slightly and showed bold white flanks, all suggestive of an Arctic. I've posted a number of photos of all three on my e-bird list below with commentary. The third loon is posted as loon sp./Pacific/Arctic. Opinions welcome.
Date: 7/2/25 1:46 am From: bkeener52 via groups.io <bill.keener...> Subject: [northbaybirds] leucistic hummingbird Tiburon
I saw a strikingly pale (leucistic) hummingbird today (12:25 pm) at the flower garden at the beginning of Old Railroad Trail at Blackies Pasture in Tiburon (37.89609, -122.490064). Apparently an Anna's. I spotted it hovering near some flowers at first, but by the time I got my camera up it had flown over the parking lot asphalt where it settled down and rest on the ground with wings outstretched (see attached photo). After about 5 seconds on the ground, it quickly flew away east over Blackies Pasture. According to passersby, it had been it has been in the area for at least the past couple of days. I am interested in hearing from folks about this "ground resting" behavior (if that is indeed what it was), as I had not seen it before.
Date: 6/27/25 7:54 am From: Peter Pyle via groups.io <ppyle...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Noyo Pelagics trips July 15th and 16th
Great to see some of you at McNab Pond the other day.
There are still some spaces open on both of these trips out of Fort Bragg. July 15th is a 10-hour trip and the 16th a 5-hour trip. If you are coming up for one, you might as well do both!
Due to deep water being close to shore we do get plenty of good birds on the 5-hour trip including, this spring, Short-tailed Albatross, Murphy's Petrels, Hawaiian Petrels, the Heradlish Petrel, Laysan Albatross, and all the pelagic regulars. If weather is good enough (as is usually the case mid-July) we can make it out to 15 miles where we had some 18 Cook's Petrels on our June 15th trip. See our trip report for some nice photos of these:
Given dozens (and up to 600+) Black-footed Albatross on all of our trips to Noyo Canyon, we're anticipating one of the Southern Hemisphere species of albatross out there one of these days, and summer is as good a time as any.
Whales are also starting to show up and we regularly get Humpbacks, Fins, and Blues on the half-day trips, and Sperm Whales have been seen over the years out there in summer.
Hope to see you up here next month or later in the fall!
