Common Loon, Gavia immer |
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![]() Above, Alaska, and below, coastal Northern California, Common Loons in the striking breeding plumage that, along with a famously haunting call, identify this species where it breeds on the northern lakes of North America. The California bird has molted on the wintering grounds in April, before migrating north. |
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![]() I photographed the two non-breeding-plumaged birds below while they were within a few feet of the bird shown above, which had already molted to breeding plumage. We rarely see full breeding plumaged Common Loons in California. | |
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![]() Non-breeding plumaged birds taking off with a captured fish (a Starry Flounder), above, and rearing up, below. | |
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![]() Above and below, Common Loons as we normally see them in California, swimming on offshore waters in non-breeding plumage. |
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