Colorado River

On February 10, 2002 Daniela Yellan and I made the journey to the Colorado River in search of the oft reported Yellow-billed Loon and Long-tailed duck. It had been about four years since either one of us had been out that way, and that alone would have been enough to make the trip a worthwhile endeavor, but we had good success as well, with one of the species, at least, that we were after.

Neither of us is particularly prone to shooting off on a trip the moment a rarity is mentioned on the Bird Line, but when Daniela asked me if I'd be interested in making this one-day trip, I agreed. We left Phoenix early and arrived at the London Bridge late morning and within a few minutes had decided where we¹d eat lunch.... You can tell where our priorities were.

It took about the same amount of time to spot the Yellow-billed Loon once we began our stroll along the walkway bordering the river. Daniela's scope clinched the ID, but we actually had good views of the critter with binoculars too. It was quite cooperative, hanging around the bridge, then moving downstream and eventually out of sight. It had the distracting habit of diving and swimming what seemed vast distances before resurfacing again, but other than that, was quite willing to pose and remove every shadow of doubt as to its identity. It definitely was a loon; it definitely had a yellow bill; hence, the only conclusion possible: we definitely had the Yellow-billed Loon in the scope! This largest of loons has been reported in Arizona only once before. Although it has been spotted wintering off the western coast of the United States, Arizona is quite far removed from its Arctic breeding grounds and more typical coastal wintering headquarters.

Who knows what brought this Snow Bird to town? Likely it was the minnows around the London Bridge that kept it here all season, though. At Havasu Springs Resort and marina, on the way from Lake Havasu City to Parker Dam, we fed huge carp and numerous birds the left-over french fries from our lunch. We had a brief and simple gull lesson while here, with both the Ring-billed and California Gull in attendance. Actually, there was just one California Gull, but it was an adult and seemed reluctant to fly--perhaps it was injured or something--so it was content to swim quite close to us and give us great views. The Ring-billed Gull was present in both adult attire, and various juvenile apparels.

Later, in the water above the dam, We spotted a Common Loon just as we had four years earlier. It was nice to have another loon to compare and contrast the Yellow-billed to, and to know that in this ever changing world, some things are consistent...such as an isolated loon that apparently returns to the same waters each winter to spend the season alone before heading back north to its breeding grounds when Spring reawakens its hormones.

Below the dam, we scanned the waters again and again for the lone Long-tailed Duck, but all we could see were plentiful numbers of Common and Barrow's Goldeneye, Coots and Buffleheads, the males of the Buffleheads were almost blinding with the afternoon light glistening off their white heads. It was still a treat to get well reacquainted with these species of ducks, even if the duck of our dreams was not to be found.