[Birdnet] Yellow-billed Loon still there

[Dave Hanscom]

To add to the directions a bit:

Turn off US-40 at the Park City exit and proceed east toward Kamas on 
SR-248.  Drive over the first hill and down to the bottom.  You'll see 
where old highway 40 used to go off to the right, and a turnoff just 
beyond that.  (The old highway is fenced off.)  There are always lots of 
cars parked on the road that turns off.  I think people must use it as a 
park-and-ride lot.

Drive by all the cars and go a hundred yards or so to the end of the 
pavement.  At that point, a dirt road continues up to the left, but you 
want to park your car and walk straight ahead, beyond the barriers, on 
what used to be highway 40 many many years ago.  (I call it the old old 
highway 40.)  A mountain bike will save you quite a bit of time at this
point.

If you follow the old old road for about a mile, you'll come to the water.  
The loon has been seen in that vicinity, but I'd suggest checking 
periodically as you walk along to see if he's moved north.  A couple of 
fishing boats came by an hour or so ago, which may have disturbed him.

There were at least two Common Loons in the same area, but if you get good 
light, it's pretty easy to identify the Yellow-billed guy.  He's in full 
bloom.

Thanks to everyone for getting word out.  It was a lifer for everyone who
I talked to yesterday and today!

Dave Hanscom

PS: A special bonus this morning was a female Red-breasted Merganser 
hanging out in the same area.

On Tue, 20 May 2008, Milt Moody wrote:

> Kris Purdy just called to report that the YELLOW-BILLED LOON is still 
> being seen near the east shore of the Jordanelle Reservoir this morning 
> (20 Mar around 10 AM).  She said that there is a road near mile 6.1 on 
> old highway 248 going toward Kamas that will get you fairly close to 
> where you can see the bird, but that you'd have to walk a little ways to 
> to the shore to be able to see it.
> 
> Others that have seen the bird this morning are Pat Jividen, Alton 
> Thygerson and several others in Kris's group.
> 
> Good birding,
> Milt