March 3, 2007
Loonatics
Finally the sun came out in Paris! Faced with the prospect of 90 minutes of tedium in the departmental budget meeting, labmates Romain and Gwynael didn't need much persuading to go looking for the first-winter Black-throated Diver/Arctic Loon (Plongeon arctique) wintering on the lake at Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. Following all the fuss over the appearance of a Pacific Diver in the UK, it was instructive to get such good views of this individual, showing the classic white thigh-patch and no hint of a chin-strap.
I added 3 species of diver to my French list in the space of two weeks - time to look for a White-billed!
Posted by rjhall at March 3, 2007 4:05 PM