[Birdnet] Red-throated and Pacific Loons @ East Canyon

[Tim Avery]

This afternoon I made a quick trip to Mountain and Little Dell Reservoirs, and
then swung over the mountain to East Canyon Reservoir to check out the loons.
As I made my way north along the south arm of the lake I spotted a "small" loon
near the dam, so I drove around, finding a juvenile PACIFIC LOON swimming near
a couple Western Grebes.  I spent about 20 minutes watching this bird before
heading back around the lake, and after turning back onto 65 south/west I
pulled out where the lake splits to the east and south.  From here I could see
about 14 loons on the water, including a group of 2 PACIFIC LOONS with a Common
Loon.  I could not age them at the distance and in the failing light.

http://timaverybirding.com/photos/nove07/palo_01.jpg
PALO, COLO and another PALO

About this time a loon popped up in the east arm, directly north from where I
was, even at 200 yards, the unique pattern of a RED-THROATED LOON in basic
plumage was evident.

http://timaverybirding.com/photos/nove07/rtlo_01.jpg

Unfortunately it was getting dark, and my scope broke off its base mounts, so
digiscoping was out of the question.  Being able to see RTLO, PALO, and COLO
all within 200 yards of one another was a "neat".

Other birds of note:

East Canyon Reservoir 3:40-4:50pm
 4 BARROW'S GOLDENEYE (including 3 males)
 17 Common Goldeneye

Little Dell Reservoir
 2 HORNED GREBE 3:10-3:20pm

Mountain Dell Reservoir 3:00-3:10pm
 3 Common Loon
 400 RING-NECKED DUCK
 3 Common Goldeneye
 2 BUFFLEHEAD
 1 RED-BREASTED MERGANSER

Cheers

Tim
Salt Lake City, UT
tanager at timaverybirding.com
http://www.timaverybirding.com
http://www.timavery.com