A paler cousin

  

Thanks to Colin for getting the word out that a Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii) was visible from the Lucas Wharf area in Bodega Harbor this morning.  I was nearby so went over for a quick look, and Scott was there to point me in the right direction.  This is a rare species here, with fewer than a handful of records for Sonoma County.

Here are a few other images for the record.  Note the large, pale bill.  In the last photo, you can compare the Yellow-billed Loon with several Common Loons.  It's a little bit larger and has more of a brownish tone overall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photographed in Bodega Harbor on 3 February 2024.