Date: 12/20/25 11:23 am From: Joseph Neal <0000078cbd583d7c-dmarc-request...> Subject: RARE FLIP’S LOON (Gavia flipii) SPOTTED ON LAKE NO LOONS
Flip Putthoff, Outdoor Editor for northwest edition of Arkansas Democrat Gazette, knows about my loon fever. In acts of pure kindness, he has thrown a pair of binoculars around his neck and taken me out in his fishing boat.
These trips on Beaver Lake – which I call Lake No Loons – are dedicated for birding. Usually we don’t see any loons. That’s a-ok because we see a lot of other stuff.
For example, the usual loonless search goes right by Red Bluff. It lives up to its name with ancient bluffs that are striking red. In summer Cliff Swallows build their nests on Red Bluff, just like in the old days, before bridges, which are now their main nesting sites.
But yes, we do see a few loons on Beaver in migration. But not so much in winter.
Flip has heard me refer to Beaver – famous for its huge Striped Bass – as Lake No Loons. He has taken my complaints to heart. I think it’s because no loons is sort of like Camp See No Deer, where Flip used to go hunting.
I was totally shocked to recently receive an email from Flip claiming he’d been seeing a genuine Beaver Lake loon this winter. It’s in a handy spot near Rocky Branch Park.
So off I went this morning. It turned out all about a good luck far away but still wonderful look at Gavia flipii. A long ways off, but Common Loons are big. This one was stretching its wings into the morning sun.
And that was just the opening curtain. Last summer’s Red-winged Blackbird nests in the Buttonbushes. Shoreline masses of Corbicula fluminea. Horned Grebes. A fabulous female Common Goldeneye. Sudden overflight of a 1-year-old Bald Eagle and an excitement of American Crows.
It’s a lot like Darwin and HMS Beagle. Whole worlds to explore!
Here’s what I submitted to eBird: https://ebird.org/checklist/S289369311
