Posted by Adam Quinan on September 05, 2008 at 13:19:58 user Adam.
In Reply to: Re: Black-throated divers posted by Duncan on September 04, 2008 at 22:21:13:
A couple of favourite Great Northern/Loon memories occurred a number of years ago when we were on holiday at a cottage on a small lake in the Kawartha district of Ontario. There were a pair of loons which successfully bred two chicks for several years in a row.
Although there were motor boats on the lake, they didn't seem to be too bothered and on two occasions I was able to approach them quite closely without disturbing them. Loons spend a good deal of time underwater and when they surface come up some distance from their original diving point.
The first time was in a small sailing boat in a very light breeze so I was moving very slowly. I got to within about 20-25 feet before it dived and came up too far away for me to sail there.
The other time, my daughter and I were able to swim quite close to them and watch the parent feeding one of the chicks with a small fish it had caught. We couldn't have been more than about 15 feet away. Eventually they dived with the chicks following their parents.
We listened to their calls most evenings and very eerie they are.