One of my favorite things when sailing is to hear a loon call, usually at dusk or dawn. Below is one we spotted at sundown in Boothbay Harbor.
This bird is featured on the Canadian 1 Dollar coin, nicknamed the “Loonie”. They are strong swimmers and divers, but rarely walk on land as their feet are far back under their bodies. They also fly, but their mass to wingspan is such that it takes quite a runway to get airborne. An interesting peculiarity is that, in addition to fish and other small sea animals, they eat pebbles from the bottom of the ocean. This helps them digest. To protect them, Maine, other states, Canada, and Denmark have banned lead shot and fishing sinkers to avoid poisoning.
Listen to a loon call, courtesy of Harry Collins Photography.
One Response
I’m glad that some people respect the environment and wildlife!