Early on the Fourth of July, I got up, looked out and saw lots of stars. And some fog down in the valley. From above, it didn’t look very thick, I set out to visit the Middletons and their chick. (As my naming scheme would suggest, I’m calling the chick ‘Littleton’)
The fog was lifting off the Connecticut as I crossed and was thin over the meadows and marsh as I approached the pond. But, the fog was thick on the pond, another dreary start for photos. After a bit of searching, I discovered dad on babysitting duty just outside the Middletons’ favorite cove for breakfast. Mom was foraging lazily, sometimes for herself, sometimes for the chick. She paused to give a nice stretch. I was hopeful the fog was lifting a bit…..Mom looked good, I was still hoping that things would brighten for some more pop in the pix. Our intruder reappeared! She was running a bit later than usual, but arrived and challenged the Middletons. Both adult Middletons went down the pond to face off with her. After a bit of displaying, the intruder departed. The Middletons headed back to catch up with Littleton, passing close by my boat. The intruder flew a couple laps around the pond on her way out. Dad yodeled to tell her to get moving elsewhere. Dad collected Littleton. Mom took a nice stretch – the fog had lifted nicely and things had brightened up, cheering me. Mom delivering a meal. Dad and Littleton awaiting the next course – in brighter light. Even nicer light…. Dad was patrolling outside the cove. I suspect he was watching the pond to make sure the intruder didn’t return. With the nice light, I hoped they’d stick around for photos. But, the darned birds swam down the pond to forage in deep shadows. They weren’t very successful. I couldn’t help thinking it served them right. After a time in the shadows, they continued down the pond to another favorite feeding spot. Mom took time to show off with a nice stretch. I took back what I’d thought. And dad joined in with his own stretch. In the 13 years I’ve been watching the loons, I’ve only seen both stretching at the same time a small handful of times. And never close enough together to fit in the frame. They arrived in relatively shallow water where they like to forage and went to it. After a couple quick meals for Littleton, dad nabbed himself a good-sized sunfish. Mom must have thought that looked good, she went and got her own. And promptly went back for seconds. You can see her bands just below the water back by her tail. Dad returned to help himself to another sunfish from the buffet. Loons have to swallow fish head first to avoid being poked by the fish’s fins. Dad is lining the sunfish up. And down it goes….. While Dad was on his second fish, Mom went back for a third. She ate something approaching three pounds of fish within six minutes. Both parents then took some time to find more breakfast for Littleton. After mom delivered a meal with a weed wrapped around it, Littleton had it stuck in his? bill. Should I tell him? When Littleton had his fill, mom stretched again and the family settled in for a nap as I headed out.
Thank you for this wonderful peek into the lives of loons! Fabulous photos – well done.
Such a delightfully cute name = Littleton!! :o)
Fantastic pictures, as always!