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Apologies for the late post...
Today between noon and 1 pm I had a juvenile Pacific Loon off the tip of the
point at Rock Point Provincial Park.
The bird was distinctly smaller than the ~12 Common Loons with which it was
associating, initially quite close to shore (~350-400m? out), but over the next
20-25 minutes the flotilla drifted/swam to perhaps 1 km out, and beyond, diving
frequently, but staying on surface long enough to note: rounded head; straight
bill, shorter and narrower than COLOs'; head held horizontal; grey nape paler
than blackish back; sharp, straight division between blackish sides of neck and
white front of neck (not doubly-jagged like COLOs') except for faint dusky
narrow chin-strap.
I tried to get photos, but by then it had moved too far out on the lake. By
the time I left the look-off (with the great viewing bench) there was only one
COLO swimming in the water off the point, although loons appeared to be moving,
far out on the lake in both directions, for much of the day.
Other birds on the lake included a single fly-past Red-throated Loon, several
Horned Grebes, a single Surf Scoter, lots of White-winged Scoters and an
assortment of other diving ducks and gulls.
Good birding,
Jarmo
Directions: Rock Point P.P. is south of Dunnville along Haldimand Road 3, then
east on Niece Road about 2.5 km to the park entrance. The park is closed to
vehicles. It's 2 km south to the point viewing area from the park entrance (I
road my bike), although it can be reached more quickly from the south end of
Downey Road on the east edge of the park, but that's the access area for
waterfowl hunting.
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