Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2024-91
| Common name: |
Red-throated Loon |
| Scientific name: | Gavia Stellata |
| Date: | 12/22/2024 |
| Time: | 10:55 AM |
| Length of time observed: | roughly 1.5 Hours. |
| Number: | 2 |
| Age: | 1 Juvenile, 1 Adult nonbreeding |
| Sex: | NA |
| Location: | Lincoln point to Lebarron point Utah Lake |
| County: | Utah Co |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | |
| Distance to bird: | Variable. 20 yards at the closest. |
| Optical equipment: | Leupold SX-4, Nikon D500 with 500mm lense, Maven C.1 10x42 |
| Weather: | 95% cloud cover, 40 degrees, Lots of light, virtually no wind. |
| Light Conditions: | perfect. overcast helping with distortion, but nice midday light. |
| Description: Size of bird: | similar size to nearby Herring Gulls. Longer, slimmer profile. |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Loon shaped |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | medium to dark grey upperparts with light sides and underside. very light face and cheeks. white lores. |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | small, thin, upturned grebe like bill. |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
originally thought to be PALO's, Apon further investigation and closer
views, they were clearly RTLO's. overall light loons with white speckled
backs, light sides, extensively white cheeks with low contrasting dark
hoods and neck. white lores, small, and upturned pale bills. of the two
birds, one was a juvenile showing much more "foggy" or "blended"
coloration in the cheek. the second bird was an adult in non breeding
plumage, showing more Contrast in the light to dark transition of the
head. (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | did not call. |
| Behavior: | constant diving behavior. for 3/4 of the time observed, they would dive for 20-30 seconds, and surface for 10 seconds. for a 1/4 of the time observed, they were relaxed just casually floating around. observed surfacing with small fish several times. |
| Habitat: | Utah lake. open water, but in the shallows off the shoreline. |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Common Loon, Pacific Loon, Arctic Loon; Short, thin, upturned bill, white lores, white speckling on back and wings, all effectively rule out the other loon species. other features such as small size (with comparison to AHGU's) rule out common loon, the non-contrasting neck and cheek separation from gray to white rule out pacific and arctic. all of these in combo leave no other options. on top of all of that, there was a pacific Loon associating with the RTLO's for direct comparison. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
RTLO - No previous experience. COLO - unsure of exact count. I've seen hundreds in Minnesota, and roughly 50-75 in Utah. PALO - I've seen 3 in Utah this year |
| References consulted: | Sibley, Macauley library photos of COLO, RTLO, PALO. |
| Description from: |
Notes taken at the time of the sighting From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting |
| Observer: | McKay Olson |
| Observer's address: | |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | So far; KC Childs, Esther Sumner, Clarrisa Chipman, James Hoffman, Suzi Holt, Jesse Lee, Asher Lee, Natalie Tanner, Connie Misket, Felicia Alverez. Hopefully more to come! |
| Date prepared: | 12/22/24 |
| Additional material: | |
| Additional comments: | Notes were taken at the time of sighting using a talk to text app. |