Sunday, July 04, 2010

Common Loon - Up Close

Sometimes I am almost embarrassed by the avian richness around my home. For example, as posts earlier this year have shown, I have Evening Grosbeaks as a regular occurrence in my yard - so many people would travel hundreds of miles and consider themselves lucky to see one.

Saturday morning, I saw another of those special birds that many birders long to see. A few minutes from my home is a small lake that hosts  breeding Common Loons for the second year in a row. About mid-morning we put our kayaks on the lake; I went in search of the loons at the west end. I approached very slowly, pausing often. The parent was alert, but soon took my presence as benign, and went about fishing and feeding the young, and drifting to within about thirty feet of where I drifted. Using my 100-400mm, sometimes at less than full zoom, I took over 150 photos, over a period of about an hour and a half. Following are a few. The first is uncropped; others are cropped 25-50%.


Just one more clue to why I find Vermont such a special place. Hope you have a great Fourth of July, and when the picnics and fireworks are over, that you find Good Birding in abundance!

6 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Wow, awesome closeup shots of the Loons and the juvies. They are so close. I do get to see the Loons around here at certains times. But you are right I would love to see the Evening Grosbeaks in my yard.

Wilma said...

I've only had the pleasure of seeing loons (at a distance) twice so far in my life. They are a treat to see, even vicariously! Especially when they seem to be going about their business without concern.

Happy 4th,
Wilma

Erica Houskeeper said...

Wow Chris, these are beautiful! I absolutely love loons -- we hear them quite a bit when we visit my sister's vacation home on Lake Winnipesauke in NH.

Great shots. Your photos continue to inspire me.

Debbie Miller @HooootOwl said...

Absolutely gorgeous captures! Sweet moments from their day. Something we don't get to see very often, thank you.

Kelly said...

WOW! Chris, these are spectacular. I've never been this close to a loon, much less a loon family. Incredible shots...

Dan O'Brien said...

I'm officially jealous. Not only do you get to see breeding plumage Common Loons, but the chicks as well. Amazing pictures!

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