July 1, 2018
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Loon Family 002
This week the weather was just right to spend some time in a kayak. The lakes were as smooth as glass. I headed for a lake that I knew had loons but as I drove by Devil’s Track something urged me to pull into a small secluded bay that is too shallow for boats. As I approached the lake I saw a loon with a baby off of a small island and unloaded my kayak.
Loon Family 003
I am always careful how I approach loons so I don’t disturb them. Some loons are approachable and others are not. I spent 6 hours with these loons and they got so used to me that they would swim right under my kayak. Notice the size of the feet on the baby. Loons are fast swimmers and can swim to depths of 100 feet.
Loon Family 007
The baby ducked under the wing and mom kept it protected. The eagle passed over and I heard a mallard behind me in full terror mode. She had four babies and they were going everywhere in the lilies. The eagle picked one out and dropped out of the sky. I thought the baby was a goner but just before the eagle’s talons hit the water the baby went under the lilies and the eagle missed. It flew away empty handed this time. But mom probably started with a dozen babies and now she is down to four.
I would have had a photo but my battery went dead just as the eagle dropped.
Loon Family 009
Loon parents switch off childcare about every two hours. One was with junior for more than two hours and the other parent had not yet returned. Soon the parent with the baby called and I saw the other one come into the bay. I don’t know if this behavior means “mad” or not but the parent shook the baby off its back and went after the other loon, calling and flapping its wings.
