A little loony!

The Journey of the Loon

(A poem about how my mother now "speaks to the loons")

My mother and daughter took a morning walk
By the ocean so they can bond and talk.
Their walk is stopped, by a worrisome sight.
A bird looks hurt and can't take flight.

The large bird is lying on the sandy floor,
Looking injured and washed onto shore.
People have past it, they just walked by
But not my mom, she wants to try!

The family drives to the rescue center,
but on the way has to reconsider.
The center says "we can't take a bird today",
Plus, it's just a loon, that's their way.

So, take it back. And let it be.
The loon will make it's own way free.

So we pull over to the closest beach,
And set the loon back near the water's reach.

Time passes and still it sits
The waves are all gone, we've lost our wits!
A wave approaches. We all watch...
Nothing happens... another flop!

When the wave washes back out again
The loon is only inches from where she's always been.

My mom is worried. She wants it free.
So, again she moves the loon closer (see)...

Another wave... what will it do?
Finally, this wave carries out the loon.

So that's what happened, our story's end
Of how my mother and a loon became friends!

Be Free!

Interesting Loon Facts:

• Loons are mostly solitary birds.
• The loon has solid bones (unlike most birds which have hollow bones). 
• Loons generally do not walk on land. They are mostly on water - their legs are on the back of their body instead of underneath it.
• They need to take off like an airplane in order to fly, they need around 30 yards or more before they an take flight.
• Loons are an older species of birds, they can be traced back over 100 million years.

Information on Loons (including these facts):

• Audubon
• All About Birds

(Teaching lessons can be found in life adventures!)