Heaps of loons in every city up hereBeing a Southern Hemisphere person I was wondering where and how hard it is to see loon.
Heaps of loons in every city up hereBeing a Southern Hemisphere person I was wondering where and how hard it is to see loon.
BirdsDrove out to Lake Cargelligo and Round Hill last weekend, and managed a couple of lifers.
Birds
260. Rufous Songlark
261. Little Grassbird
262. Little Raven
263. White-fronted Chat
264. Singing Honeyeater
265. Yellow-throated Miner
266. Purple-backed Fairy Wren
267. Budgerigar
268. Cockatiel
269. Whiskered Tern
270. Red-kneed Dotterel
271. Red-capped Plover
272. Red-necked Avocet
273. Pink-eared Duck
274. White-browed Woodswallow
275. Masked Woodswallow
276. Striped Honeyeater
277. Black Honeyeater
278. Crimson Chat
279. Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater
280. White-fronted Honeyeater
281. Pallid Cuckoo
282. Apostlebird
283. Little Friarbird
284. Black-tailed Native Hen
285. Pied Honeyeater
Mammal
18. European Hare
Hix
I'm sure there are. Not the ones I was interested in, I suspect.Heaps of loons in every city up here![]()
BirdsBirds
256. Allen's Hummingbird Selasphorus sasin
Any loon or Yellow-billed specifically?Being a Southern Hemisphere person I was wondering where and how hard it is to see loon.
Really any loon, it would be nice to add a member of the family to my list. My impression is that they are found in more northern latitudes, sort of a northern equivalent of a penguin. I'm guessing it will be a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Not that there is much chance in that it may still be a couple of years before we can leave the country.Birds
257. Common Redpoll Acanthis flammea
Any loon or Yellow-billed specifically?
I've only ever seen one, at Lake Baikal, but it was too distant to tell which species it was - so I have seen a loon but don't have any loons on my life list.Really any loon, it would be nice to add a member of the family to my list. My impression is that they are found in more northern latitudes, sort of a northern equivalent of a penguin. I'm guessing it will be a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Not that there is much chance in that it may still be a couple of years before we can leave the country.
Though that is a sighting you could add to a Family list, if you kept one.I've only ever seen one, at Lake Baikal, but it was too distant to tell which species it was - so I have seen a loon but don't have any loons on my life list.
Common Loon is by far the easiest species to see. I am only familiar with it on its breeding grounds, where every lake has a resident pair that is generally easy to see. They usually aren't too hard to see from shore, otherwise a trip out on a canoe or kayak often makes a sighting a near-guarantee (they are super curious about boats and will come to investigate).Really any loon, it would be nice to add a member of the family to my list. My impression is that they are found in more northern latitudes, sort of a northern equivalent of a penguin. I'm guessing it will be a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Not that there is much chance in that it may still be a couple of years before we can leave the country.
In Western Europe the only place you can see a loon without it being a rarity is while seawatching, probably the best time is from September to December. Red-throated is the 'common' species migrating along our coast, but occasionally on a good seawatching day you'll get a Black-throated (=Arctic) as well, and if you get very lucky a Great Northern (=Common).Being a Southern Hemisphere person I was wondering where and how hard it is to see loon.
In the UK we call them 'Divers'. According to the BTO, 3 species (Great Northern, Black-throated and Red-throated Diver) now breed, as well as winter here. But I dont expect that the lochs of Scotland will be on your holiday list for a while...Really any loon, it would be nice to add a member of the family to my list. My impression is that they are found in more northern latitudes, sort of a northern equivalent of a penguin. I'm guessing it will be a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Not that there is much chance in that it may still be a couple of years before we can leave the country.
Pre-COVID i visited the USA once or twice a year, and frequently went to Chicago as I have business and friends there. So I guess I'm asking would it be possible to see loons on a day or overnight trip from Chicago, and if so where and what time of year?Common Loon is by far the easiest species to see. I am only familiar with it on its breeding grounds, where every lake has a resident pair that is generally easy to see. They usually aren't too hard to see from shore, otherwise a trip out on a canoe or kayak often makes a sighting a near-guarantee (they are super curious about boats and will come to investigate).
Red-throated Loon is the other species I have seen, it is common on the North American Great Lakes during migration (and present but uncommon during winter) and I am told it is quite common on both of America's coasts in winter.
Pacific Loon is common on the Pacific during the right season.
Yellow-billed and Arctic are rare away from their difficult to access breeding grounds. Yellow-billed is prone to vagrancy inland and usually shows up on some inland lake once a year or so, Arctic almost never does.
True, unlikely to be travelling anywhere for a while, mores the pity. But are you saying that a driving holiday around ye bonnie lochs is likely to pick up some divers? I'd want to go some time when the temperature is survivable and there is a chance of no drizzle, so I guess that is mid-summer?In the UK we call them 'Divers'. According to the BTO, 3 species (Great Northern, Black-throated and Red-throated Diver) now breed, as well as winter here. But I dont expect that the lochs of Scotland will be on your holiday list for a while...
From what I've seen of the highlands that does narrow it down somewhat! Not a 'birder' in any form so I dont know, sorry. I thought they were all winter visitors, and was quite surprised that they all breed here now, the Great Northern in tiny numbers but 200 pairs of Black-throated and 1200 pairs of Red-throated. That would imply that a number of Scottish lochs must have birds breeding?But are you saying that a driving holiday around ye bonnie lochs is likely to pick up some divers? I'd want to go some time when the temperature is survivable and there is a chance of no drizzle, so I guess that is mid-summer?
Yes. Red-throated would be the easiest species to see in Chicago. They are possible on Lake Michigan any time from October-April but would be most likely in November or March. Common Loon would also be possible but less likely on Lake Michigan in March/April or October/November. Common Loon would also be possible on any large to medium-sized lake outside of Chicago during the same times of year.Pre-COVID i visited the USA once or twice a year, and frequently went to Chicago as I have business and friends there. So I guess I'm asking would it be possible to see loons on a day or overnight trip from Chicago, and if so where and what time of year?
But are you saying that a driving holiday around ye bonnie lochs is likely to pick up some divers? I'd want to go some time when the temperature is survivable and there is a chance of no drizzle, so I guess that is mid-summer?
In Western Europe the only place you can see a loon without it being a rarity is while seawatching, probably the best time is from September to December. Red-throated is the 'common' species migrating along our coast, but occasionally on a good seawatching day you'll get a Black-throated (=Arctic) as well, and if you get very lucky a Great Northern (=Common).
Technically you don't really 'need' to seawatch to see a loon though, as all three species will show up inland or in ports as well occasionally, usually being decently twitchable (if in spring or fall usually for a few days, in winter they usually stay for a few months).
Quick day-trip to the Eifel
Mammals
22. Red Deer (Cervus elaphus)
23. Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber)
Birds
117. Tawny Owl (Strix aluco)
118. Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)
119. Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris)
120. European Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca)
121. Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)
122. Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)
123. Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra)
Pre-Thanksgiving update:
Birds
127. Brandt’s Cormorant (Phalacrocorax penicillatus)
128. Gadwall (Mareca strepera)
129. Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus)
130. Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens)
131. Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)
132. Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
Mammals
24. California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus)