Galwegians July 2020
The Galwegians- July 2020
The state of emergency in Ontario is still in effect at least until Wednesday, July 15th, 2020. Therefore, no events, meetings, and/or activities will take place at the Galway Hall.. If the state of emergency is extended, any scheduled events will be either cancelled or postponed until a later date. In these times of uncertainty, keep informed by visiting the Galway Hall website at: www.galwayhall.ca. Note: The Galwegians articles (to date) for 2020 are posted at this website as well.
Loons are ancient birds. Fossil remains of loons date back 40 to 50 million years ago. The 2020 nesting season for the pair of loons on Clear Bay was unsuccessful. Probably within ten days from hatching, a predator successfully raided the nest. This pair did have its drama leading up to this sad end. For several weeks, a male loon, known as a ‘conscript intruder’ attempted to take over the Clear Bay territory away from the existing male loon. There were many lengthy chases as the loons battled each other for supremacy. In the end, the intruder was driven away from the bay. This successful defense of territory was followed by another challenge- a bald eagle. The eagle swooped down low over the nesting loon but did nothing more than that. It did land in the water near-by to snag a fish which caused a ruckus not only from the male loon but from a tern that was in the area as well as any other feathered creature in the vicinity.
Loons are very territorial and are not very social with one another. However, spring and fall, loons will gather in small groups, prior to migration. Did you know that a group of loons may be called an asylum, a cry, a loomery, a raft, or a water dance?
This month’s Gaelic word that has made it into the English dictionary is “hubbub”. Hubbub is an old Irish battle cry for victory.
“Bibesy” is an old word that is no longer found in the dictionary. It describes a seriously enthusiastic interest in drinking. It is believed to come from the verb imbibe.
The Friends of Galway are “Shamrocking Galway” again this year. This is year two for this project. 27 mini-pots of purple shamrocks were successfully grown for distribution.
This is a friendly reminder to be wary of turtles crossing our roads and highways. Exercise caution and safety protocols if you stop to help these fellow creatures.