Worthley Pond has a new resident as spotted by many other residents this morning. In all of my years living on the pond, this is the first time that I have seen a baby loon on the pond. After yet another internet search, here is what I learned about the loon.
"Loons are excellent swimmers, using their feet to propel themselves above and under water and their wings for assistance. Because their feet are far back on the body, loons are poorly adapted to moving on land. They usually avoid going onto land, except when nesting. Loons find their prey by sight. Chicks remain with and are fed exclusively by their parents for about eight weeks. After eight weeks, chicks will begin to dive for some of their own food. By 11 or 12 weeks of age, chicks are able to gather almost all of their own food and may be able to fly." (Wikipedia)
The baby loon that I watched this morning was observing its parents underwater feeding techniques by sticking his head underwater and watching. After observing his parents for a little while, the mini loon gave it a try on his own. This new loon can only mean that there will be more loons living on the pond in future years, which mean that I will be falling asleep listening to loon calls!
Enjoy ~SJ
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