> I have returned from a four day camping trip. We camped out on a lake in northern New Hampshire, saw nearly no humans, but we did see (and hear) lots of other creatures: lots of loons, osprey, and bald eagles; a sharp-shinned hawk; a common merganser with *sixteen* ducklings in tow; a red squirrel; and a moose. Heard a great horned owl.
>
> But the loons are my favorite. For those of you who live in areas where loons are not, my deepest condolences. There is no greater joy than hearing a medley of loon calls after dark, and they're beautiful to see, too.
>
> It's good to be back.


I was wondering why there were no Sam messages to topics I thought you would jump on. Duh.

I have to agree about the loons. Their cry is so unique. And their coloring is simply striking, with those red eyes orshadowing the complex geometric patterns of pure white on deepest black [for those of you who haven't seen them].

You said you saw a moose, so I have to give my moose story [the most recent one].
Since I live up here in AK, like you didn't know that, summer is the visitin' season. We're on our 4th and 5th relatives from California. For my aunt, it's her first and probably only trip. On the long drive home from the airport, we were all alert for wildlife. Within ten minutes of leaving the airport, we saw a moose with two calves. Unfortunately, they were on the other side of the really big hwy, which sported a divider, so there wasn't much of a picture. After about two minutes of driving from that spot, there was yet another moose with two calves on our side of the road. Living in big, ugly Anchorage, they were accustomed enough to people and cars that they didn't shy away when the big Suburban pulled over next to them. My aunt was thrilled to have such wonderful pictures on the first day, although I think it might have given her the wrong impression of Anchorage wildlife.

My two euro-dollars,
Ch"seriously, I'm telling you, the plural of moose is moose! Not, mooses, meece, or mice. Especially not mice. Why can't you seem to get that?"ris