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Earl Horn

Bob Zaremba

Dan Vickers

Earl Horn

Bob Zaremba

James F. Flynn Jr.

James F. Flynn Jr.

James F. Flynn Jr.

On December 19, 2002 I decided to stop by Plant Wansley in Carroll County, after birding several other lakes. There were a lot of birds there including 38 Horned Grebes, 3 American Black Ducks, 3 Common Goldeneye, a female Surf Scoter and many gulls. There were about 10 Common Loons, but one loon in particular caught my attention as I observed it through my binoculars. It was in a flock of horned grebes, and appeared to be smaller than a Common, with a very bowed neck and a chin strap. I placed the spotting scope on the bird and watched it for a little over an hour, though the weather was overcast and it was getting late. It eventually joined 2 Common Loons and at that point there was no question as to its identity in that it was noticeably smaller, with a smaller bill, more bowed neck, smaller head and a chin strap. At this time it was around 5 p.m. and with the overcast sky, it was too dark to continue to hope to take some photographs or observe it further.

The next day, I returned with Eric and Richard Beohm and after much scanning located the bird at a great distance away in a cove. I found a road that led over there and watched the bird at close range for at least an hour, and took some photographs and video.

Description:

The bill was too small for a Common Loon, but too thick for a R red-throated Loon. The brown on the neck did not have the white indentation of the Common Loon and the bird had a noticeable brown chin strap. The flanks were brown, unlike the white flanks of an Arctic Loon. The pupil of the eye appeared red, and it did not have the extensive white over the eye of a Common Loon, but rather a straight brown border below it, and it was considerably smaller overall in size. The back was dark brown, but the feathers were edged in a very pale white, which would make this a juvenile/immature bird.

There are about three previous records listed for Georgia, but all are in the hypothetical category since it has never been documented or photographed in this state.

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