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Great Northern Diver

Gavia immer

Photo by The MnMs
Published on Project Noah
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60.8251, -0.789042

Field Notes

Description:

I spotted this specimen in the late evening almost midnight hours in the same secluded North beach in Unst where I also spotted the sanderlings and the eider moms and babies.
It seems that the loon is still on its winter, less pretty, plumage.

Notes:

Suggested to be a 2nd cal year adult whose summer plumage is as the adult winter but with a darker bill. Full adult plumage only appears in the 3rd cal year (2 years old).

Reference Links:

Great Northern Loon

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (1)
Malcolm Wilton-Jones
The English name for this is Great Northern Diver. This looks to me like a 2nd cal year adult whose summer plumage is as the adult winter but with a darker bill. Full adult plumage only appears in the 3rd cal year (2 years old).

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Birds of the World
Mission
Arctic Wildlife
Mission
Biodiversity of Scotland
Mission
Birds of Britain

Tags

Photographed
PublishedJuly 23, 2013

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