Common Loon

This picture was taken on the 18th July, 2007 on a lake near Huntsville, Ontario. It's a wilderness bird and it's rare that more than one pair will be on a lake, unless it is a large lake. They can't walk on land very well and therefore build there nest close to the waters edge. They are unable to take off from land because their legs are too far back on their body. Migrating Loons will occassionally mistake a wet roadway for water and then become stranded because they are unable to take off. Even in water, they need a fairly long stretch of water to become airborne.