June 30, plus or minus a day, a pair of loon chicks hatched on Lake Sunapee. Jann and I discovered them July 3 and spent about 15 minutes with them. We wished we could have stayed longer that morning, but we had other things that needed doing. Still, I got quite a few photos in that brief period of time.
I was back with them before 6 AM the next morning. Unfortunately, the loons stayed in the shade for about 45 minutes while the lake behind them was reflecting the shore vegetation, which was in bright sun. I’d much rather have a bright subject and a darker background.
There are a pair of loons on the back of a parent in the photo below, but it is hard to see the second one.
Here are some of the other photos I took before the sun rose higher and the loons moved into the sun.
For comparison, here is a photo taken shortly after the loons had sun on them.
Some of the feedings were more successful than others. Here is a successful feeding when a parent brought a small fish.
However, when a parent brought a large fish, it was sometimes rejected by the chick. Here is a case where the chick did manage to consume a largish fish.
A parent was off fishing while the two chicks drifted quietly near the remaining parent. Suddenly a small plane passed directly overhead. The parent and both chicks immediately dove and stayed under for an amazingly long time, especially for such young chicks. It seemed like 15 seconds, but I did not time it. The chicks must know instinctively to dive from danger overhead.
Here are some of the other photos I took the morning of July 4.
I did not arrive quite as early on July 5. I wanted the sun to rise higher in the sky. They were in a different area than the previous morning, but still, for the first 25 minutes I was with them, they were in shade while the lake behind them reflected the shoreline lit by the bright sun. Here are the early photos from July 5.
A loon flew over without attracting the attention of the family group.
The loons moved into the sun and there were a few feedings, but mostly the action seemed to be over for the morning. A parent and the chicks drifted into the corner of the cove and went to sleep while the other parent disappeared. So I packed it in for the day.
July 6 was overcast and windy, so I stayed away.
When I arrived on July 7, I found that two warning signs had been placed in the area.
I was very saddened to see there was only one chick present. I’m guessing an eagle or other predictor got the other, but I really do not know what happened. The surviving chick had captured a leaf, apparently to the dismay of its parent.
Here are more of the photos I took July 7.
Will I return? Perhaps. But, believe it or not, there are other things to photograph.
Check back if you wish in a few days for “The First Week of July” featuring an osprey in a nest, some nice waterfalls, and photos of the Milky Way. Or you can subscribe to this blog at the top right above and get an email whenever I post a new one.