Date: 06/23/2009

Number: 1

In the early morning of June 23rd, 2009 my mother and I canoed out on the chain of lakes on the far northeast lake as the South Branch of the Ausable exits the lakes toward Jose Lake. A nesting pair of Loons with two chicks was swimming around. One of the adult Loons preened and washed itself as the other left to fish. The chicks made cooing high pitched sounds and the remaining Loon fished and threw a small fish in front of the nearest chick in the water. The chick missed it a couple of times that were both recovered and re-thrown by the adult Loon. The adult Loon showed no distress behavior because of our canoe. We investigated a recently used nesting site on an island in the lake from the water. The chicks would automatically swim back to the site when the adult Loon would take a long dive fishing. For some periods of time in about five minute increments, the chicks would float along sleeping with their heads tucked into their downy backs. The adult Loon also demonstrated a behavior

South Branch, MI

Latitude: 44.5 Longitude: -83.9

Observed by: Traci
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