The presence of small individuals of the Common Loon in winter in Alabama makes it difficult to detect an Arctic Loon here, and most Alabama observers are very cautious about recording Arctic or Red-throated Loons. On the Birmingham Christmas Count, December 27, 1975, a small loon was reported without further identification by Ann Miller and Charlotte Blackshear on Oak Mountain State Park Lake. On December 28 & 29, 1975, the bird was identified as an Arctic Loon, ~ arctica, independently by Bruce Crider and John Dunnie, by Gina and Thomas Imhof, compiler of the count, and by Keith and Helen Kittinger. Many other local observers saw the bird and verified the identification on December 30 & 31, and all agree. Satisfactory close-ups were obtained from about 60 yards with various telescopes up to 60x. The entire period was overcast, but Helen Kittinger obtained several photos in rather poor light.
Author: Thomas A. Imhof
Volume Number: 23 Year Published: 1975
Issue Number: 3-4
Page Number: 16
Link to article: http://birdlife.aosbirds.org/1975/Vol 23 No. 3, 4_1975_p16.pdf
Link to the full issue of BirdLife: http://birdlife.aosbirds.org/1975/Vol 23 No. 3, 4_1975.pdf
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