[Birdtalk] "yellow-billed" Common Loon pictures

[Tim Avery]

I took some pictures of a Common Loon at East Canyon today that was just plain
odd.  The bird caught my eye because of its abnormal bill.  Firstly the bill
seemd to be rather short.  I believe this may have been due to the nasal
bristles extending further than normal, but none-the-less it gave the bird a
short-billed look.  Furthermore, the bill was not balck and gray-blue, or any
other of the colors typical of Common Loon, or any loon for that matter.  The
bill was splotchy yellow and black.  I'm not talking the pale yellow of a
Yellow-billed Loon, more like a canary-yellow... Take a look:

Close up of the head and bill:
http://timaverybirding.com/photos/octo07/colo_02.jpg

Entire bird:
http://timaverybirding.com/photos/octo07/colo_01.jpg

What a funky bird!

Cheers

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