Why Are You Still Here?

  It seems that Mother Nature has a lot of things in a state of upheaval.  Not only has the weather been a tad....ummm...different as of late, critters are acting a bit strange as well. Just a few weeks ago, I was confused by the fact that we had a lone loon seemingly staying the summer with us.  The bird had not flown north with its other loony (heehee!) friends and was evidently intending to make this its year round home.  I have no problem with that and actually was looking forward to having the loon around the Bayou.  Sad to say, that one perished from some unknown malady.  Now, I find we have another juvenile loon lurking about the place.

  Loons are not supposed to be in the area except during the winter months.  Come early spring and they fly northward to nest.  Both of the loons that have been spotted nearby this summer are juveniles.  Why these did not make the migration is questionable.  One appeared to be maybe injured or ill but the newest sighting seems to be of a healthy bird.  

  Yesterday, the loon came up to the pier.  It almost seemed to be trying to make friends with us.  This, in itself, is unusual.  The loons are usually rather skittish.  The familiarity that the birds have shown makes me ponder if these were both "released" birds.  Perhaps they were injured, rehabilitated and then released back into the wild.  In which case, the birds both may not have the fear that wild birds would and, also, may not have been associated with a migrating flock.  
  
  Whatever the case may be with the crazy loons being on the Bayou, I am happy with it.  I like the birds and it would be nice to have a mating pair call the place home.  It would be strange...but nice.  Their haunting calls give a certain ambiance to the Bayou that is missed during the summer months when they usually take their leave of the area.  Oh, Mother Nature, make up your mind!