Crazy as a loon indeed

So PK and I were fishing a little cove on Ensign Lake when we noticed two nearby loons, feeding aggressively in the shallows. Nothing unusual about that. These birds were much more approachable than the loons that live on lakes where motorboats are allowed. The Ensign Lake loons seem to understand that canoes are slow and harmless.

But what happened right before I snapped this picture was strange.

As I was retrieving a shallow running Rap, I peered into the water just below the canoe and was startled to see something very big and very fast in hot pursuit of the lure. At first I thought it was a big fish. Then I shouted to Kohlie, Crap, it's got legs. The loons swimming motion is something to behold. Those legs are really long--you can see one in the photo--and the wings are used for steering, giving the effect of a fighter jet.

As that loon closed in for the kill--or a mouth full of barbed treble hooks--I yanked the lure out of the water.

In a moment, the loon popped up by the side of the canoe, gave me a crabby look and floated away at a relaxed pace. No fear.