Common and Pacific Loons

 Common Loon (Gavia immer) in non-breeding feathers

If you've ever tried to photograph a hungry loon searching for small fish, you know they are agile divers and fast swimmers. This one was about to dive...but I clicked my shutter first.

In summer, I love hearing the eerie calls of Common Loons. But during the icy months, they leave Canada's remote northern lakes to spend time in coastal ocean water. On their way,  many rest awhile in central and southern Ontario.

 Common Loon

All loons spend most of their lives in water as they walk awkwardly on land. They cannot takeoff from land because they need about 30 to 50 metres of water to lift off. 

 Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica) in non-breeding feathers

Pacific Loons are actually more common worldwide than Common Loons. However around the Great Lakes, Pacific Loons are rather rare, so when one is spotted birders from miles around travel to see and photograph it. This one was hanging out with a flock of Common Loons, which made the Pacific Loon tricky to see and identify. Luckily for me, an experienced birder spotted it for me.

Pacific Loon

I saw this one in Oshawa Harbour not far from where my husband and I regularly birdwatch.
I am connecting to Stewart M's Wild Bird Wednesday HERE

Walk in the Woods

Collecting ticks

Ticks bearing Lyme disease have been found in the Province of Ontario. Sadly they are moving northward form the U.S. So far none have been found in York Region (where I live) or in neighbouring Durham Region where the above photo was taken. But researchers are on the look out!

Working in a grid-like pattern, the above researcher is dragging a white, one-metre-square cloth (maybe corduroy, but I forgot to look) behind her to harvest ticks. Any ticks she and her partner found were taken back to a laboratory for further inspection.

 Kids on the trail

Meanwhile kids with families (and photographers with cameras) were wandering along the paths and...

 Hand feeding chipmunks

animal lovers were hand feeding (it's hard to see here)...

Chipmunk eating out of hand

hungry chipmunks. FYI: They were also feeding chickadees, blue jays, nuthatches, squirrels and any other critters willing to take handouts.

More photos from Our World can be seen by clicking HERE.

Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.