Earlier this week I saw a lone loon at Rattlesnake Lake in North Bend.
I was rather thrilled because I've been watching for birds on this lake
for two years and this was the first Common Loon I'd seen. This evening
I stopped by the lake and counted six of the handsome creatures. Two of
them were floating very close to the shore. This was one of those rare
occasions when the loons were sitting still as oppossed to constantly
diving and disappearing. One of the loons would periodically stretch
his legs and then tuck them in under his wings. I've never seen this
before... do all water birds do this with their legs or just the ones
that have their legs set far back? Seemingly on cue, the pair of loons
close to shore tucked their heads back and appeared to doze off. The
wind died down and suddenly a shower of Violet Green Swallows engulfed
the air space around them. The loons continued their nap while the
swallows hawked away.

I assume when the weekend crowd of fisher-folks show up these birds will
continue on their journey north somewhere. Last I heard, there was one
pair of nesting loons left in Snoqualmie Valley on a lake in the
Weyhauser property boardering Alpine Lake Wilderness.
--
Debbie Feinman
North Bend, Washington
debraf at isomedia.com