Meet Our Mascot - Loony Loon!
Hello, camping friends!
The name's Loony
Loon and as the
camp mascot,
I'd like to welcome
you to Loon Lake
Lodge & RV
Resort!
I discovered
this charming
getaway on an
annual migration
south one year,
and decided to
stop by every
time I flew past!
Since I was such
a frequent guest,
the new owners
of the resort
asked if I could
be their Official
SpokesLoon. I'm
such a fan of
the place, how
could I refuse?
For many generations
of Loons, the lake
was a popular resting
place for my ancestors
as they flew their
annual migration
south from the
Arctic. You'll
find my likeness
all over the camp,
and when you see
me on signs and
campsite markers,
you'll know that
my friends Jeff
and Robin Schweiterman,
the managers of
the Lodge, are
as happy to see
you as I am.
A while back,
a group of Birders
stopped by Loon
Lake, and told
me I looked a
lot like a Gavia
pacifica,
or Pacific Loon.
They told me
a couple of fun
facts about Loons
that I'll bet
you'll find interesting:
-- My
relatives can
be found along
the west coast
of North America,
and also in the
eastern Pacific
near Japan. Throughout
history, Japanese
lore has told
a tale that in
late winter,
Pacific loons
who forage for
food near Japan
would swim under
and around schools
of sand lance
(a small fish),
herding them
into an area
of about one
square meter.
A fish called
a sea bream would
gather to feed
on the concentration
of sand lance,
and Japanese
fishermen - with
assistance from
the loons - could
catch enough
sea bream to
earn a year's
livelihood in
February and
March alone.
Because of this
practice, Pacific
loons were worshiped
as messengers
from heaven by
ancient Japanese
fishermen.
-- Like
most loons, I
walk awkwardly
on land, and
cannot take flight
from land at
all. It takes
me about 30-50
meters of open
water to take
flight, flapping
across the surface.
These days,
I no longer migrate
south for the
winter, and stay
around Loon Lake
Lodge & RV
Resort all the
time. And besides,
I've made plenty
of "deer
friends" here
at the lake,
some of which
you can see each
morning as they
migrate over
to the lodge
for breakfast.
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