Nov 13, 2013: Red-throated Loon

Red-throated Loon. 11/8/13 (Wolf. Oesterreich)

Late Friday afternoon (after 1600) I spotted two whitish birds north of the waterfowl raft on the south lake. I set up my scope and observed 1 Common Loon (in Winter plumage) and 1 Red-throated Loon (adult in Winter plumage). The Red-throated was obviously smaller than the Common. It had a white face and throat and held its head at a slight tilt upward (typical for this species). White spots dotted the back and the whitish flanks were quite evident. The bill was much smaller and thinner than the Common's. This Red-throated Loon is #264 for my Park List and is the first Story County record. [Poor lighting and distance resulted in a not-so-perfect digiscoped photograph.]