N48*08.648'

W122*45.262'

3-2-09 time 1600 tide low incoming, 2 foot seas, wind 8~20 mph, broken
clouds temp 48 degrees.

For the last five days I have observed the YbL move to the south east of
Point Wilson with the incoming tide to feed. The YbL is feeding in water
from 40~ 80 feet deep on bottom fish the bird does not feed on fish that are
at the surface or at mid level depths.

Once we saw the YbL surface with something that looked like it had
appendage, eight as a matter of fact. The loon had caught an octopus which
was about 10 inches from tentacle to tentacle. The loon worked to subdue the
octopus for five minutes before getting the octopus in passion to where the
loon could swallow it. At the time Dan Poleschook and Ginger Gumm and I had
no idea that the loon had caught an octopus until looking at our images
after downloading them to the computer. I am still amazed by this, I never
new that YbL would or for that matter could eat an octopus. You can see one
image of the YbL with the octopus at my flickr site listed below.



Bob Whitney

Port Townsend, WA

mailto:rlw at cablespeed.com

www.flickr.com/photos/rlw/