[Quilt Lady]

The loons are still hanging around. Our resident loon floated by this morning with a friend. Take a closer look and see if what you are looking at is really a loon and not a male Merganser. The loons have turned to their winter colors of gray, not the black and white of summer. The "chicks" would be the same size as the adult loons at this time of year. You might be seeing ducks of some variety . . . Mergansers (males are black and white) or Hooded Mergansers (smaller but the male has a black and white head). If they are ducks, don't worry, they know what they are doing. They may just be looking for a place to feed and rest during the snow.