Rare Birds: Yellow-billed Loon in Bodega Bay

A few weeks ago, one of our best friends texted Eric and me the link to an amusing news story about a rare Yellow-billed Loon that had temporarily taken up residence in the pool of Las Vegas' famous Bellagio fountain.  The fountain show had to be stopped so that the loon could be relocated, but not before a number of birders were able to see this incredible rarity.  (Read the whole story here.)  When Eric texted back, joking that we should all take a road trip to Vegas to see the loon, I casually mentioned that there had also been a Yellow-billed Loon hanging out in Bodega Bay for the last month... much closer to us than Vegas!  I hadn't made an attempt to see it yet because, while much closer than Vegas, Bodega Bay is still a good three-hour drive away from our home, and, you know, responsible adult things have to get done.  

Then our friend's wife (who also happens to be one of my dearest friends) chimed in that she would much rather go to Bodega Bay than Las Vegas.  She could be free on Friday.

Seriously?

Sure.  Why not? 

And so, with the decision made to take a spur-of-the-moment girls' trip, we packed a picnic lunch and set out early Friday morning to make the drive over to Bodega Bay.

It can be a little nerve-wracking to take a non-birder along on a birding trip, especially when a high-stakes target bird is on the list.  (Birders, you know what I mean.  Things have the potential to go south, fast.)  But I needn't have worried.

Nearly as soon as we arrived, this is what awaited us: one very cooperative, very beautiful, very rare Yellow-billed Loon, diving, preening and paddling quietly just off the back deck of The Tides Wharf & Restaurant.

Yellow-billed Loon


I had warned my non-birding friend to come prepared to wait, since re-locating previously reported rare birds can sometimes take quite a bit of time.  As she is a lover of all things nature-related, as well as an artist, she was quite content to sit in the warm sun and paint a harbor scene while I scoped for the bird.

As it would happen, I found the Yellow-billed Loon within five or ten minutes of arriving at the spot where it had been reported before.  And the loon was much closer to the wharf than I had ever hoped, offering incredible views for as long as I wanted.  The perfect scenario, all around!  

Plus, the weather was ideal: calm, sunny, warm.  Truly a beautiful day to be on the water.  We spent the next hour or so doing what introverted close friends do: she painted on one side of the wharf while I birded from the other, tallying up some thirty or so species of birds in and around the harbor.  Just delightful!

Yellow-billed Loon


In his Field Guide to Birds of North America, Kenn Kaufman describes the Yellow-billed Loon as a "big wilderness diver," uncommon even within its remote breeding range in northern Alaska and Canada; they do move south in the winter, but are rare south of Canada, where they tend to stick to wild  and rugged northern shores.  To have one show up in a quiet northern California harbor is certainly a special treat!  

Like other loons, Yellow-billed Loons search for their prey by sight, sticking their heads underwater as they paddle along the surface.  When they spot a fish below, they dive down to nab their prey, often swimming many yards underwater before popping back up to the surface far from where they dove.  While we watched, this loon dove repeatedly, once coming up with a live crab in its bill!

Yellow-billed Loon


Similar and closely related to Common Loons, Yellow-billed Loons are larger than their more numerous cousins by several inches and over two pounds.  They have a large, stocky body and bulky head, and the sheer mass of their heavy, sharply angled, pale straw-colored bill make them entirely distinct.

Yellow-billed Loon


In addition to the Yellow-billed Loon, three other species of loons were present in Bodega Bay as well.  The first, and by far the most numerous, was the Common Loon.  (No surprise there.)  A few were starting to show the classic black-and-white checkered back and white neck rings of their spring breeding plumage, and some were caught mid-molt, but the individual in these photos is still in its  winter nonbreeding plumage. 

Common Loon


Note the Common Loon's long and thick bill, which can range from dark to quite light.  Also notice the white around the eye and jagged or zig-zag line of demarcation down the neck between dark and light feathers; both of these features help separate it from Pacific Loon.

Common Loon


A few Red-throated Loons were present as well.  As these elegant loons typically look strikingly small and delicate in comparison to Common Loons, they looked especially so next to the hulking Yellow-billed Loon!  The extensive white on the face is a good clue to this bird's identity, but even in silhouette, Red-throated Loons are distinct, with their slender bills held daintily up at an angle.

Red-throated Loon


At least one Pacific Loon was present as well, separated from the Common Loons by its smaller size,  smaller, thinner bill, dark coloration around the eye, and sharply contrasting straight line running down the neck.  Most birds in winter plumage also show a diagnostic "chinstrap."  (The photo below is not mine, but better than any I have of this species, and useful for the sake of comparison to the other loon species!)

Pacific Loon.
*NOT my photo*
Photo credit: Daniel Irons.  Accessed from the Macaulay Library.


Any day that I "get the bird" I was hoping for is a good day, of course, but sharing a gorgeous day on the coast with a dear friend certainly made the day that much sweeter.   

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