Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica), San Pedro Golf Course, Benson, Cochise County

This juvenile Pacific Loon was first reported from the San Pedro Golf Course in Benson by Arlene Ripley on 29 November 2011. It was photographed there the next day by Dave Stejskal.

Pacific Loon is a rare but regular migrant and winter visitor to the larger lakes on the Colorado River in far western Arizona, but it is much scarcer elsewhere in the state. In Southeast Arizona, it is no more than a casual visitor, mostly in the late Fall.

The sharp contrast between the dark hindneck and white foreneck, the smoothly rounded head and nape, the dark cap extending onto the face and encompassing the eye, the relatively narrow, dagger-like bill held horizontally, and the lack of obvious white patches on the rear flanks at the water line all point to Pacific Loon. The prominent pale edging to the back feathers, making it appear like pale barring on a dark back, point to this individual being a juvenile bird.

30 November 2011, photo by Dave Stejskal