The Middletons Have a Chick – and a Fight
Monday morning was clear when I got up, but with some fog hugging the Connecticut River below us. I figured it would lift quickly enough and it was worth a trip to check on the Middletons.
The videos of the tree swallows in the nesting box stopped after the chicks came to a sad end. The kestrel returned and took the last two chicks. Tough to watch, but that’s the way nature works. The wrens are raising their chicks in another box about 24 feet away from this one. I was surprised to see a second family of wrens claim the tree swallow’s box within the hour of the kestrel getting the chicks.
When I arrived at the Middletons’ pond, it was still in a thick fog – visibility was limited to something like 100 feet. I set out looking for the loons.
The chick hatched sometime since last Thursday. My best guess is he? is a couple days old, probably hatching Saturday.
Watching was more enjoyable than trying to get photos through the heavy fog, so I settled in to watch. And was soon fighting dozing off. I heard a swooshing and roused myself in time to see our intruding loon – probably the female that was keeping company with Mr. Middleton earlier in the spring – as she landed near the family. (How the heck does a loon navigate in fog that limits visibility to just a couple hundred feet?)
And the intruder reappeared at the far end of the pond!
They weren’t so lucky – as I was pulling the boat out I heard dad yodeling and lots of wing rowing as the intruder came back.
Intruders will try to kill the chick or a parent if they can. The fight is for the territory. With a chick the home team has great incentive to hold onto the territory. If they lose it or a mate, they may give up and relinquish the territory. I expect we’ll see more skirmishing with the intruder.
Loon Update June 25, 2025
I’ve had a chance to check in with all three loon families since Saturday evening. Good news on all fronts.
I identify the loon families with pseudonyms to protect their privacy. Every year, I get dozens of requests to know where I am. While I usually try to help out responsible photographers, it just wouldn’t be fair to these loons to have hordes visiting them. If you’d like to see loons, you can visit most any lake or pond in northern New Hampshire or Vermont (Thanks Vermont Center for Ecostudies and Loon Preservation Committee). Please be respectful and keep your distance. Expect to spend some time to get good photos – I spend something like 200 hours a year on the loons’ ponds to get the shots I get.
This Saturday, June 28, I’ll be up at the Burklyn Arts Summer Fair at the Fenton Chester Arena, 145 College Rd, Lyndon Center, VT (on the Lyndon Institute campus), 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. I’ll be selling note cards and prints large and small. Come on by and say hello.
Last Saturday morning, I stopped by to visit the Middletons. Mom had taken the overnight shift on the nest. Dad was leisurely cruising his pond.
Mom settled in for a nap, I wandered off to see who else was out and about.
Eventually, he climbed up the knapsack onto the gunwale – and back into the water. I turned around to pull him out again. I took him to shore and set him on a branch. And he promptly walked back into the water….. I pulled him out again and kept him aboard until I started packing up. This time I walked him a few yards from shore and put him down on some leaves.
Saturday evening was still warm, but relatively still. I headed up to check on the Westons and their chicks. The chicks hatched on June 7 & 8, making the oldest one 14 days old on Saturday.
The Westons live on a quiet pond, I rarely see other boats out on it. When I arrived Saturday night, there were four canoes afloat. I looked and looked for the Westons before discovering they’d retreated to the furthest reaches of the pond. They promptly announced they were uninterested in receiving visitors.
Sunday morning I went back up to visit them.
After a time, they found a spot for some serious foraging. Both parents went to work delivering a steady stream of small meals. Eventually, one parent dove and I lost track.
Yesterday I was back to visit the Middletons. I didn’t see when they laid their eggs, so I’m not sure when to expect them to hatch. It is likely several more days. They had the first quiet morning I’ve seen this season. Dad was floating not far from the nest when I arrived. He went out for a quick breakfast before returning to take over nest duty.
This morning the forecast was for a few clouds giving way to sunshine. When I peeked out at 3:15, there was a ribbon of fog over the Connecticut and just a few clouds to the east. I thought I was in luck and headed to check in with the Eastons.
I waited a bit for the sun to break through. After a time, I gave up and headed for the boat launch. And the sun came out. I turned back and headed down the pond in time to see dad show up and take over the nest.
I turned to leave again. And the sun came out again, looking like it was out to stay. I paddled to the far end of the pond before it started to rain slightly. Then steadily. I put the boat on the car in a downpour. By the time I got back to the hardtop, I was wearing my sunglasses. Gotta love New England weather!
10-day-old tree swallow chicks, June 25, 2025
Sad news today, we lost either two or three chicks. Just after last night’s post a kestrel was trying to get into the box. The swallows chased him off, only to have him return. They successfully drove him off and all the chicks were fine when I went to bed last night.
Today, the chicks are hiding under the feathers that the parents brought in to cover the eggs and chicks. I can’t decide if there are two or three chicks left.
The chicks in the box seem to be doing well, they’re moving around under the feathers and pop up when a parent delivers a meal.
Nine-day-old tree swallow chicks, June 24, 2025
We’re watching our nine-day-old tree swallow chicks in their camera-equipped box. We had another very hot day today, the chicks spent much of it squirming, apparently trying to get comfortable. We just a had a brief thunderstorm which has cooled things down a bit. Several meals were delivered and the chicks have settled in for a nap.
Eight-day-old tree swallow chicks, June 23, 2025
Our tree swallows had a hot day in the box today. The thermometer in the car said it got to 97° this afternoon. The box is shaded from late morning on, sparing the the worst of the day. All five chicks seem to be doing well.
Seven-day-old tree swallow chicks, June 22, 2025
A good look at our seven-day-old tree swallow chicks this evening. We’re having a hot afternoon here in West Newbury, the chicks are sprawled out trying to cool off.
The cameras are mounted inside the box letting us watch without disturbing the birds. The cameras have their quirks. They record in color when there’s enough light and switch to black and white and turn on infrared emitters in low light. They’re slow to adapt to the change in light as the swallows come and go.
Six-day-old tree swallow chicks, June 21, 2025
The swallow chicks are now six days old and look to be doing well. We had a hot day here on the hill, the chicks seemed to be fidgeting more. And mom and dad are going all out to bring in the groceries.
The cameras are mounted inside the box letting us watch without disturbing the birds. The cameras have their quirks. They record in color when there’s enough light and switch to black and white and turn on infrared emitters in low light. They’re slow to adapt to the change in light as the swallows come and go.
Five-day-old tree swallow chicks, June 20, 2025
The tree swallow chicks are growing rapidly. Their first feathers are coming in, making them look more like baby birds. All five are active and competing for food. Mom and dad are busy swooping about the yard grabbing meals.
The cameras are mounted inside the box letting us watch without disturbing the birds. The cameras have their quirks. They record in color when there’s enough light and switch to black and white and turn on infrared emitters in low light. They’re slow to adapt to the change in light as the swallows come and go. But, hey, they were cheap.
Four-day-old tree swallow chicks, June 19, 2025
Our tree swallow chicks are now four-days-old and look to be doing well. Mom and dad are keeping busy bringing in groceries and explaining to our dogs that they need to stay on the far end of the deck.
The cameras are mounted inside the box letting us watch without disturbing the birds. The cameras have their quirks. They record in color when there’s enough light and switch to black and white and turn on infrared emitters in low light. They’re slow to adapt to the change in light as the swallows come and go. But, hey, they were cheap.
Three-day-old tree swallow chicks
Tree swallows are raising a family in one of our camera-equipped nesting boxes. The chicks hatched last Sunday, here’s a quick look at our three-day-old chicks.
The cameras are mounted inside the box letting us watch without disturbing the birds. The cameras have their quirks. They record in color when there’s enough light and switch to black and white and turn on infrared emitters in low light. They’re slow to adapt to the change in light as the swallows come and go. But, hey, they were cheap.