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MiHale

(10,691 posts)
Sun Jun 6, 2021, 07:39 PM Jun 2021

Trying to beat the heat...

we cruised over to the Rifle River State Park to kayak on Devoe Lake. This may not matter to many but an extraordinary event happened. For between 15 to 20 minutes we watched a family of Common Loons.

Breeding is over and the little ones are out with mom and dad. We gave them respect and room to teach and feed the young ones. It was a very special moment being able to watch m&d dive for minutes to get food then coming and feeding babies.

Had my phone coulda taken a video or pictures but I couldn’t stop watching. The memory will last longer than the video.

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Trying to beat the heat... (Original Post) MiHale Jun 2021 OP
We were out on Beaver lake, a little West and multigraincracker Jun 2021 #1
From philosophy to watching baby birds... MiHale Jun 2021 #2
I enjoyed the loons that I encountered in Michigan. Buckeye_Democrat Jun 2021 #3
I just love loons. llmart Jun 2021 #4

multigraincracker

(33,960 posts)
1. We were out on Beaver lake, a little West and
Sun Jun 6, 2021, 07:49 PM
Jun 2021

North of Alpena. While cruising the shore line I spotted a mother duck and her young. Usually we see mallards, this time they were Mergansers. First time getting close to a mother and her babies.

Not many boats on the 3 lakes we fished last week end. Beaver, Fletchers and Hubbard lakes.

Buckeye_Democrat

(15,029 posts)
3. I enjoyed the loons that I encountered in Michigan.
Sun Jun 6, 2021, 08:22 PM
Jun 2021

There are lots of them at Sylvania Wilderness where I camped a few years ago, located in the UP.

I'd never heard or seen them before, until that trip.

They were mostly quiet at night, at least most of the time.

I suspect that a large fish, perhaps a pike, ate a baby loon one night. It sounded like a large rock splashed into the lake despite me having that entire lake to myself, followed immediately by the sounds of an adult loon repeatedly screaming as it apparently flew back and forth across the lake. It wasn't typical loon sounds, but instead sounded very distressed.

llmart

(16,329 posts)
4. I just love loons.
Sun Jun 6, 2021, 09:31 PM
Jun 2021

Seeing baby loons must have been a real thrill. I've only seen an adult once in awhile during migration season. They don't stick around SE Michigan.

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