Posts in Category: Wildlife

Photos, stories and ‘how I got the shot’ about birds and animals in the wild

Swallow Update July 10, 2021

On July 10, 2021 - Tree Swallow Cam

More sad news from the swallows today. Friday morning, both remaining chicks looked good and healthy. Both were moving around and feeding eagerly. I went out for a few hours, when I returned, dad was sitting in the box and one chick was active. When dad moved, I could see the other chick had died. No idea what happened. The remaining chick could fledge as soon as Wednesday. 

Another Morning With The Loons

On July 8, 2021 - Loons, Wildlife Photography

Tuesday morning found me back out with our loon family. We had a dark, cloudy start to the morning, but the sun broke through by the time the loons got going with their day.

One of our parents taking a break during preening to have a look around.
Both chicks appear to be doing well, they’re growing quickly. Both were active and eager to feed. I parked my kayak near the shallow water where they’ve been feeding. It didn’t take long before they came over and started scrounging up breakfast. This little guy seemed curious about me.
The parents made many forays for food for the chicks. Here’s one with a horned pout for the chicks. This is the first time I’ve seen a parent kill (or at least seriously wound) food for the chicks. Usually they deliver it alive, often dropping it in the water in front of the chick to let the chick practice hunting.
This parent is trying to deliver what appears to be a pickerel to the chicks, but let it slip. It had to be relocated and grabbed again.
The parent drops the fish back in the water and the chick looks for it.
The chick has caught the fish and is working to get it down.
Here’s another delivery, this time a small enough fish to swallow easily.
One chick managed to hunt down a leaf all on his own.
The leaf received a good thrashing, but still turned out not to be tasty.
The chicks are both preening and cleaning feathers regularly.
Here’s a chick reaching back to rub his uropygial gland.
But, mostly, the chicks spent the morning just being cute.

Swallow Update July 7, 2021

On July 7, 2021 - Tree Swallow Cam

Sad news from the tree swallows. We’ve lost two chicks. I didn’t see what happened to them, but with the kestrel making repeated tries to get them, I fear he was successful. The remaining two chicks seem to be doing well. 

Swallow Update July 6, 2021

On July 6, 2021 - Tree Swallow Cam

A quick check on our swallow chicks. Mom and dad have been busy hauling groceries in for the chicks. And, they’ve had to chase the kestrel away several times. A couple of times while they’re chasing the kestrel over the yard, another pair of swallows have joined in. 

Our catbirds haven’t been around today, but there are two hairy woodpecker fledglings that have learned to work the suet feeder. 

https://youtu.be/pGvUpT8tDxQ

Swallow Update July 4, 2021

On July 4, 2021 - Tree Swallow Cam

Checking in on our tree swallows on July 4. The swallows had some excitement in the afternoon, a male kestrel repeatedly tried to get into the swallow’s box. Not sure if the swallows managed to drive him off, or if the hole was too small for him to get in. Either way, the chicks were not harmed. 

This morning, we’ve got a hairy woodpecker feeding two fledglings from the suet feeder and five catbird fledglings in the yard. 

Swallow Update, July 2, 2021

On July 2, 2021 - Tree Swallow Cam

We’re getting some good looks at our tree swallow chicks this afternoon. Still haven’t gotten a clear enough view to count them. I’m sure there are at least four, I think there’s a fifth. How many can you count? 

Mom and dad have been spending more time out of the box today. They’ve been chatting on their ‘deck’ – the perch clamped to the hummingbird feeder. Our kingbirds and catbirds are still hunting around the yard – a catbird sat on our wellhead and told the dogs off this afternoon. But, I haven’t seen them on the swallow’s deck. 

Update on Both Loon Families, July 30, 2021

On July 2, 2021 - Loons, Wildlife Photography

Over the past several days, I’ve had a chance to stop in to visit both the loon families I’ve been following in the Upper Connecticut River Valley area. I was able to visit the family with two chicks four times, the other family once. I’m way behind on editing the pix, but here’s a first look to see how everyone is doing. 

Let’s start with our one-chick family. When these were taken on July 23, the chick was something like 33 days old. The chick looks to be doing well. It has grown notably, is feeding well and learning to loon. It even managed to catch a snack all by itself when I was there.

You can see that all the chick’s bill is changing shape, getting longer and pointier. 
They’ve still got some growing to do if they’re going to fit into their feet.
Adolescent chicks will pester adults when they’re hungry – which seems like most of the time they aren’t sleeping. The chicks will nibble the adult, usually around the chest or neck until they get results. 
The chick’s wings aren’t yet up to providing the lift needed to fly. Actually, the little guy is probably just stretching. 
Sometimes you get lucky and the loons do something interesting in some nice light. 
Nice light for a stretch….
And sometimes, they just disappear.

It had been 11 days since I visited the family with two chicks on July 22. The chicks were 33 and 34 days old and doing well. 

There was a visitor to the loon’s pond just before sunrise. Mrs. Moose walked out of the woods and into the pond and swam across the pond. I was in her path, but she ignored me. I made pretty good time getting out of her way. 
This shot gives you an idea of why loons look they way they do. On a day with just a slight wind, the pattern on their backs blends nicely with the highlights on the water. And, being white on the bottom, would help them blend into the sky if you were below and looking up. 
The chicks will often, and the adults occasionally, swipe at the water with their bill by shaking their head back and forth. My bet is that this is the loon equivalent of blowing your nose – a way to clear their sinuses. 
The adult has spotted an immature eagle flying over the pond. Before the adults swam off towards the eagle, they herded the chicks close to my boat. I’ve seen this several times over the years. It is likely that the loons believe that raptors want to stay well clear of people and boats, giving the chicks safe harbor. 
With a threat overhead, loon chicks flatten themselves on the water. This makes their profile smaller, making it harder for a predator to spot them.
When there’s a bit of wind, the chicks seem to disappear when they flatten.

I made it back to the pond on Saturday July 24 to check on them again. There was only one adult on the pond when I arrived about 0430. It is not uncommon for loons to wander off for a time. I imagine they just need a break to recharge. I’ve visited ponds where a loon was off on a break, but don’t recall ever seeing one spend the night away. I took a good look around the pond to make sure the missing loon wasn’t in distress. 

Here’s a nice portrait of the adult on duty and the chicks.
And a headshot for one of the chicks.
And a chick in need of a snack. 
And a snack headed inbound. 
That’s a nice-sized brook trout. It took some work to get it down, but the chick was up for the challenge.  I’m not quite sure where a chick that small puts a fish that big when it swallows it.

Having lots of chores do to around the house Saturday evening, I made the obvious choice and returned to the pond. Our absent loon was still absent and the chicks spent much of the evening napping.  
This little painted turtle was basking in the afternoon light. 
And, Mrs. Moose returned. Her presence attracted a flotilla of boats – 8 at one point. She didn’t seem to care. One of the guys in a canoe asked if we were sure this was a moose. I have no earthly idea what else it could have been, but yes, yes we were sure. 
The moose spent about an hour browsing along the shore, above and below water. 

On July 27, I made it back before sunup, curious to see if our wayward loon had returned. My arrival was delayed by Mrs. Moose who was sauntering up the one lane road to the pond, stopping to browse as needed. She was going to do what she needed to do, and I could wait, thank you very much.  She eventually wandered off into the brush and I was able to continue on to visit the loons. 
Both adults were back on the pond and working hard to feed the chicks. One takes a quick break to stretch. 
Loons eat crayfish – if you mange to see a loon eating, it is probably eating a crayfish. They swallow a lot of their prey underwater, but the crayfish need to be lined up to slide down tail first to avoid the pinchers. Loons will often bring them to the surface and toss them to get them lined up properly. The loons I’ve watched raise chicks before would usually bring fish to the chicks, with a few crayfish mixed in. This pair of loons seem partial to crayfish. Not sure if it is a personal taste or if crayfish are just more common than fish this year. Here’s an adult inbound with a good-sized crayfish. 
And the handoff. 
Both adults heading inbound, each with a crayfish.
This turned into a race, with the adult with the smaller crayfish diving to get ahead. 
Here’s a chick with the bigger of the crayfish. It looks like the crayfish was uncooperative and pinched the chick. 
The crayfish’s strategy almost worked, the chick spit it out. The victory was short-lived, the chick hunted the crayfish down and swallowed it. 
After a nap, one of our chicks stretches. ​​​​​​

I tried again on the 29th, heading up before sunup. Mrs. Moose ran across the parking lot and the boat launch before heading into the woods. The forecast was for mostly sunny, but that didn’t work out. There were heavy clouds and the haze from the western wildfires. With much light, I mostly sat and watched.

But, I did, sorta, catch an interaction between a loon and a family of geese. The goose family, two adults and a mostly grown gosling, have been around all summer. Mostly, the families ignore each other. I did see the single loon tending the chicks on the 24th drive the geese back at one point. But, this morning the geese were minding their own business swimming away from the chicks, probably about 600′ feet and going way when one of our loons popped up to tell the geese to be gone. I imagine that having a ticked off loon appear out of nowhere to rear up over you must be a terrifying experience. The geese decided to move along. 

I’ll be down at the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen Fair in Sunapee from August 7th to the 15th. Come on by and say hello. More info about the Fair at the League’s site, NHCrafts.org

Loon Chicks at 11 & 12 Days Old

On July 2, 2021 - Loons, Wildlife Photography

Let’s check in on our loon family. On June 29, the chicks were likely to be 11 and 12 days old. They’ve grown rapidly and are beginning to venture a few yards from their parents. Both chicks appear to be doing well, both about the same size, both learning to be loons and taking cute little loon dives. The morning I visited, the parents were feeding larvae, fish and crayfish to them. The parents would often carry fish or crayfish a far distance back to the chicks, but would offer the larvae if they were caught close to the chicks. 

This may be a dragonfly nymph.
Inbound with the next course…
It looks like largemouth bass was the catch of the day. 
The fish is a big meal for a little loon. 
Followed up by a tasty crayfish.
Yawning chicks give a good idea of how large their mouths are.
Enough to make me tired…
Foot waiving is thought to be a technique for cooling off. It was in the 80s by early morning, and all of the loons repeated waived their feet. 
Some traits are shared by siblings of all species…
And a few pix of the chicks just because they’re cute.
After preening, loons of all ages will stretch their wings.
Sometimes it is just fun being a little loon….
After a busy couple of hours, everyone settled in for a nap. 
And I had errands and had to head out.

Yet More Loon Pix, June 30, 2021

On June 30, 2021 - Loons, Wildlife Photography

This is a second loon family that I follow. They’ve got a chick. I must have missed the nest for a few days, I expected the chick to have hatched the day before these photos were taken, but it looks a few days older. 

Surveying the pond from a parent’s back. 
The little family took a slow paddle around the pond as the sun was coming up. The chick is barely visible on the back of the parent in the back. 
The chick takes to riding on a parent like its riding in a palanquin.
The parent the chick was riding set out to forage, the other parent tried to encourage the chick to come aboard. 
The chick was more interested in breakfast. 
And second breakfasts.
It looked like the parents were catching damselfly or dragonfly larvae for the chick. 
Hey! Where did Dad go? The parent that the chick was next to just dove.
The chick fed, for now, the parents took some time to preen and stretch. 
Then, some time just to watch the little one. 
And, now time for a nap. 

Tree Swallow Update June 29, 2021

On June 29, 2021 - Tree Swallow Cam

Checking in on our swallows today. Both parents have been busy feeding the chicks. Still can’t tell how many chicks there are. There are at least three. 

https://youtu.be/IysWF4dMMHw

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