Just your average, three legged, hill climbing common loon juvi!

This was captured this summer. It is not a great technical picture, but it shows a behaviour and odd coincidence that I have never seen before.
While floating around with this juvi and adult, the juvi suddenly paddled to the shoreline, scooted out of the water and up a small hill, went about six feet, turned around and then 'ran' back down to the waiting parent, who did seem a bit agitated by this activity. The general teaching is that loon juvis generally don't return to land after leaving the nest until the age of 4-5 years when they first mate.

I knew that I had captured the unusual behavior, but not until I was reviewing images did I notice the apparent fact that this loon had three legs! I had to look at it several times to figure out that it was a small broken off birch stick in perfect position to simulate a foreleg on the gamboling loon.

Makes me chuckle every time I look at it.

Cheers

Randy

This summer I saw a parent and child loon come out of the water to take a poop. AS soon as each finished it waddled right back into the pond.

Unique behavioral image. You had me fooled with the three legs. Most of what I see in Florida are legs missing or parts of legs missing which I attribute to alligators. Thank you for sharing, Randy.

Hi Randy, a great action shot of the Juvie rushing back to the water. I like the lack of DOF here, with the focus on the youngster, and mom OOF in the FG.

At least the 'third leg' was perfectly placed.

Nice image, Randy. I spent a few days outdoors camping, listening to the Loon's calling and seeing it flying and diving but no shooting opportunity.