Loons and Grebes

The Loons have come south
Back in my previous dwelling near Eagle Nest Lake, NM, there would be an occasional stray Loon- off course from his usual habitat in the Northern Waters. But now I find one in the desert- Quail Lake of southern Utah, and he looks quite at home. So long as there are cold water fish, the Loon can adapt.
Do the Loons know something the rest of us “loons” do not? I am conversant with the Western grebe, their having an eye on me, when I beat them- taking the Rainbow trout right out from under their dive. But the loons keep a safe distance from my canoe- their not liking the green color of my “Oldtown”. And the Texas loons give me a wide berth also, since I have the habit of checking my “catch” of 6 or more rainbows, when they approach. They think that I don’t hear their conversation (from their noisy BASS CATCHER) about “I wouldn’t be caught DEAD in that flimsy boat” at which time I casually raise my string to “inspect” the condition of my next meal.
Right about this time, the Texans throw it into high gear, and give me the view of the south end of a Jack, heading north. Plus, I have the last laugh, when I go down to the pier by the Eagle Nest Post Office, to watch them come in with a few, and not a “MESS” as Texans call my haul.
One day, I was watching them come in from my view on the bank, and a Texan backed up to launch his boat, using a big Van with an exhaust pipe to the sky. I wasn’t watching him, because of my interest in the guys coming in, but my wife was more interested in watching the launch. She pointed to the incoming boat for a few minutes, and then turned around to see that the Van was gone. But she then asked “What’s that pipe sticking out of the water, blowing smoke rings”.
It took a minute to determine that both trailer and Van were gone, but not the boat. The boat was launched, and then while the driver was getting it out of the way into the water (having left the motor engaged), the whole rig- Van and trailer- reversed itself into the lake. But the Van continued to do its duty- blowing smoke rings from the vertical exhaust pipe- for a few minutes. All was serene after that- except for the driver, who developed apoplexy.
BUT I DIGRESS! Meanwhile the “snool” or backwards loons, issue their mournful “whood-whood-whood-whood” at me to let me know that they have knowledge not in my grey cells. They are always fat and vigorous-not like the skinny grebes, and they are sleek and solitary. They know that they are related to the regular path of their namesake: LUNA, which lately is also heading south for the summer.

NOW THAT YOU FINISHED, THIS IS SENT OUT ON APRIL 1st, just in time for the annual sojourn back to the cooler northlands!