The Yellow-billed Loon is the rarest loon in the world in terms of absolute numbers, and is a species that can be difficult to find in Washington State. Yesterday on a boat ride on the Lady Alderbrook, a party boat on the Hood Canal, a group of birding friends managed to get great looks at this Yellow-throated Loon which is just beginning its molt from breeding into winter plumage. Loons, like many other species, have a molt strategy where they replace all of their feathers evey year after breeding, but replace some body feathers to acquire a special breeding plumage in their breeding season.
Loons have a strategy where because they can survive nicely in food rich areas without flying they lose all of their flight feathers at the same time and become flightless while they grow new feathers. They can just dive underwater to feed and avoid predators. They use their big feet underwater for propulsion.
It was quite a treat to see this bird yesterday, and everyone was thrilled.
Good birding!