This is the time of year when loons are on their ocean wintering grounds.
Ocean life is very different from the freshwater lakes where a loon hatches and begins life.
Suddenly, loons are drinking saltwater and eating saltwater fish. When it rains, a loon can drink fresh rainwater dribbling along its beak. While it's raining, it may also drink from the water's surface before the lighter freshwater gets completely mixed in with the salty ocean. But if days pass without rain, the loon has no choice but to drink saltwater. If you drank just half a glass of saltwater, you'd very likely vomit.