Loon Flap

This is a Common Loon flapping its wings on "our" pond in Maine, displaying the marvelous black and white patterns on its back and wings, with even a glint of the early sun (here it is large).

Adults flap their wings quite frequently. I've just recently seen a suggestion that they may do it following a lengthy dive, to shed excess water. It's usually quite a majestic and extended action. Chicks start learning to flap quite early (it's so cute!)--at least as young as the one I blipped a couple of days ago with our local family.

The family put in only a brief appearance during my early morning kayak foray--less than 15 minutes after I sighted them they dove (with the chick), and I didn't sight them again for the remaining hour that I was out. This is not uncommon--adults can stay under for at least a couple of minutes and swim a hundred meters or more in that time. How the chick manages I simply do not know.

Soon afterward I spied a group of three adults (this blip show one of them flapping). The chick was nowhere around, and the group's behavior made clear that they did not belong to the family. (I also briefly saw three separate adults yesterday--probably the same trio, and I blipped one of them taking off.)