Brooks Wade
Pretty Boney
They come in pulses. Or so it seems. One day lots of Loons and Bonaparte’s can be seen from the dock, the next day the lake is quiet. I include both birds as their migrations, both fall and spring, seem almost synchronous. The call of the Bonaparte’s (let’s call them Boneys for short) can be heard from a great distance on calm days. They get quite raucous when feeding, and especially so when harassing a loon trying to swallow a fish. On migratory mornings you can hear their anxious calls first, well before light, and you know to prepare for some exciting departure behavior. Give a listen here, to their wiry, gnarly sound. It is quite unique.
Be sure to listen to the last call. That’s the crazed call we have here. ~B