Loon Drama

[Sturg]

We have a family cabin on a small 50 acre lake in Itasca county. A pair of loons nests every year. My brother and I went over the weekend and had a front row seat to a loon dispute while out fishing on the lake early Sunday morning. The nesting pair had hatched a little one sometime during the week. Saturday the chick spent most of the day riding on the back of a parent.

Apparently another pair of loons decided to fish on the lake Sunday morning. One of the parents was chasing one of the other pair. They were flapping wings and propelling themselves all over the lake in hot pursuit. I was amazed at how fast they can move across the water! Interestingly they left the newborn while they chased the other pair. This went on back and forth across the lake for over an hour. We drifted near the chick for about 15 minutes. I was able to get a good shot with my 400mm lens. Then we anchored and started fishing. The chick drifted not far from us. The intruders finally flew off and the parents and chick were reunited. I thought one of the parents would have stayed with the chick but for most of the fight the closest parent was at least a city block away.

Chick

Baby back on board

[RiverFish]

Thanks for sharing the pics. Neat story as well.

[eyeguy 54]

cool!

[Dbl]

What a cool thing to see!

[pike79]

nice shots

[DonBo]

Love those front row seats to nature doing it's thing.

[finnbay]

Great story and great pix!

[half-dutch]

Breeding pairs of loons are extremely territorial. I can see where 50 acres of lake would not be enough to support a second pair. It is sorta surprising that both parents would dessert the chick, but I have seen them stash the babies in a weed bed while both parents fished and then would call them out later.