What Bird Do You Think Rosie Saw?

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Below are three emails between a lady from Illinois and me.  After reading them, if you have any ideas what bird she saw, please comment or email me.  Thanks!  - Ric.

Sent: Sunday, January 29, 2012 4:07 PM
Subject: Bird question 

If you could help me ID this bird, I'd appreciate it.

Yesterday while watching through my binoculars on the shores of Lake Michigan (from the Illinois side) I spotted a bird in the distance flying parallel to the shore, but out far enough that I could not get a good look.  It was flying low near the water, and I kept seeing flashes of red---though I doubted it, this was unmistakable as I watched it fly for about a minute. I wondered if it was an illusion!  It also landed in the water and then dived .  Then, in the waves, I lost track of it b/c of how far out it was.
Thanks!
Rosie
Glencoe Illinois

Rosie,

I'd need more information to make a guess.  Could you provide any details about the bird's size, shape, color other than the red, and where the red was flashing?  If so, I'll give it a guess and ask a few other better birders than I.

Thanks!

- Ric 

It was so far away, it made it difficult to tell, but it flew like a duck. The flash of red seemed to be on the top, and the wings were not as white as a gull but I didn't exactly see black. I was looking down from the bluff here, which is probably 100 feet above the lake. 

I know this sounds crazy, but the flash of red was the most dominant sight, appearing intermittently as if it coincided with the wing stroke.  The wings did not seem very long.

I have been observing birds for many years, and this was very strange to me.

Thanks for your help, and I understand that it may not be enough for you to tell. It certainly was not enough for me to figure out at all, and I have never known a water bird here to have any red.  Rust, maybe, but this was red.

Thanks.

Rosie

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