Hi,
Just returned from two weeks in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Encountered a most unusual behavior in a Common Loon. Early one
morning I walked down to the shore of Skelton Lake, north of Edmonton,
and spotted this loon on the shore with its' head under its' wing. I
walked up to within 10 feet and it didn't move a muscle. I went back to
the cabin where we were staying and got my camera, went back and took a
picture from 10 feet, thinking it would bolt at any time. I then crept
closer until I was kneeling right beside it. It was blinking but still
had not removed its' head from under its' wing. I took more pictures
and then picked up a stick about 2 feet long and proceeded to stroke
its' head which it finally took out from under its' wing. Thinking it
was sick or was sitting on a nest I carefully reached under it to see
if there were any eggs. Only then did it break and rush to the water.
It immediately started swimming away with its' head dipping into the
water looking for breakfast. It appeared perfectly normal except for
its' odd behavior on land. Has anyone else experienced this tameness in
a loon?
Southern Saskatchewan yielded the best sightings such as LARK
BUNTINGS, CHESTNUT COLLARED LONGSPUR, FERRUGINOUS HAWKS, SHARP TAILED
GROUSE, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, GRAY PARTRIDGE. Couldn't find the sage grouse
which were supposed to be in the areas.
See you in the field
Len Jellicoe
Surrey, BC