Category: Nature

Dateline: Bobs Lake, Ontario July 31, 2018

The OPP reported yesterday that a baby loon nearly drowned in Bobs Lake not far from the entrance to Green Bay. The loon was found struggling in the folds of waves caused by a pontoon boat passing the Twin Oaks camp shortly after the owner had stopped to buy worms and gas. The OPP gave chase but the reckless drivers of the Pontoon disappeared behind a small island only meters from the camp. Returning to the distressed loon, OPP officers rescued the creature, only to set upon a search for its mother, suspecting the latter with endangering a minor by abandoning it mid-stream. Records indicated that the baby loon had no bathing certificate and had not undergone the mandatory training required of all avian species that either live on, or around the lake.

“We looked at the poor critter, struggling in the, water,” noted one officer, “it was clear that that this was a case of baby-duck abandonment by its parents.” Relying on a photo taking by a bystander on land, the OPP has tacked several “wanted” posters of the suspected mother on trees lining the lake close to the spot where the baby loon was first found. As the photo shows, the mother has the tell-tale signs of black stripes and white neck (see below). The OPP welcomes any information or tips leading to the arrest of said mother. Baby loon, called “Jane Duck” for want of knowing its actual birth name, is in the good hands of the SPCL (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Loons).

Reported by Larry Hirschhorn, co-owner of Bobs Lake cottages and Escapes; www.bobslake.com Please visit us at 75 Burns Lane North, Godfrey or call, 613-273-9193

AP: July 31, 2018

My husband was out in his kayak and lo and behold he feared a serious attack—and wrote the following poem.

Listen here and stay awake
My kayak was upon the lake
I paddled slowly took my time
I saw a frog, a squirrel climb

And then I saw above my head
Something that increased my dread
Angry birds with piercing cries
They followed me, I tell no lies

I paddled quickly to escape
My arms outstretched my mouth agape
They circled closely and in one swoop
They dove and promptly dropped some poop

“Help” I cried,” ”a bird attack”
Nasty Ospreys — they don’t quack
Their eyes ablaze their sharpened beak
I thought, “My god, My fate is bleak”

What had I done to prompt their rage?
There was no way I could assuage
I thought I must be near their nest.
I was no man I was a pest!

So I paddled even more
Another swoop, I raced for shore
Diving bombs and then some shit
And I cried, “why this is it!”

But suddenly they flew away
To let me live another day
No longer in their nesting space
I paddled home to my own place

The moral is to check the sky
Make sure no birds are flying by
If they,are don’t be a chump
NPaddle fast, avoid a dump.