Posts Tagged: bull moose

Update on the Usual Suspects

On July 28, 2026 - Herons, Loons, Moose, Shorebirds, Turtles, Wildlife Photography

OK, this one will be a bit long as I try to catch up on all the loon families and the heron rookery. Please keep going, we’ll check in with the loons, Hank Heron, our moose returned and a few of our other friends.

Thanks to everyone for all the kind words on the Tall Ships post. Perhaps I should give up on the critters and take up marine photography?

I’m looking for a field of sunflowers to try to get some shots of indigo buntings. If you know of one relatively near Newbury, VT, I’d love to know about it.

It is time again for the The 93rd Annual League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s Fair . It opens this Saturday, August 1 and runs through Sunday August 9. I won’t have a booth this year, nine days is just too much for me anymore. But, I’ll have note cards, my 2027 Wildlife Calendar and a few prints in The Shop At The Fair at the League Fair. And everything is available on my web site, www.IanClark.com. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, please send an email or give me a call. And, be sure to visit all the other craftspeople at the Fair – there’s lots of amazing work to see.

My 2027 Wildlife Calendar has arrived! They’re available on my site at www.IanClark.com. This year, I’ve added a couple photos of bears from my trip to Alaska last fall, including a cuddly-looking little first-year cub I wanted to bring home. But, while never specifically stated, I’m sure that would have broken at least one of my wife’s rules.

When we last checked on the loon families, the Westons had hatched two chicks, the Middletons had abandoned their first nest and were sitting on a second clutch and the Eastons’ chicks had hatched in the last days of June. The heron chicks were getting big.

I went to check on the Middletons on July 8. It was a chilly morning with thick fog.

As I paddled out, I got a great look at Champ, one of the lake monsters that is supposed to live in Lake Champlain. Come on, this is the clearest photo of Champ yet!

Mrs. Middleton was on nest duty. And it was a quiet morning. I headed in early.

On the 9th, I headed up to check on the Eastons.

Hank was fluffed up pondside finishing up his ablutions.

And finishing with a good shake before heading off to perch in a nearby tree.

He decided he’d missed a few spots while preening and set about some touch ups.

If Auguste Rodin sculpted a heron…. what would Hank be thinking of? Tasty fish? I’ve always found herons trying to scratch their head an amazing feat of balance. I’m in awe of their being able to do it perched high in a tree.

Hey! Did you hear the one about the wildlife photographer that got up really early?

I’m not sure what herons are doing when they open wide. They often stretch their necks high up before doing it. I wonder if it is a burp or a stretch or maybe trying to reposition food in their gullet. Sometimes they stand with their mouths open when it is warm, that would seem to be panting to cool. But they’ll often open wide for a few seconds and then return to what they were doing. And wildlife photographer jokes aren’t that funny.

After Hank settled for a nap, I went to catch up with the Eastons. They were feeding the chicks. Here’s Dad for the handoff.

I’ve heard back from the Loon Preservation Committee’s intern. Our banded bird this year is last year’s Mrs. Easton. They banded her late in the season after I’d headed to Alaska.

All gone but the tail… come on little guy! You can do it! Of course he can. And he’s instantly ready for the next meal.

Watching the Eastons I was interrupted when I noticed a visitor to the salad bar at the far end of the pond.

What looks like the moose I’d seen back in June returned – in daylight! There was another photographer out on the pond. We were able to hide in the deep shadows on the east side of the pond to watch. The moose stayed about 90 minutes. Plenty of time for us to go through a couple of camera batteries.

The moose was browsing in the shallow water. Occasionally he’d reach deep enough to get his head under, requiring a shake when he raised his head.

He took his time feeding, and moved around enough to let us get several angles.

This was a great opportunity for photos. I hope he’ll give me a repeat performance after he drops the velvet on his antlers.

I think the sores on his leg and flank are from botfly larvae. I wrote to NH Fish & Game’s Moose Biologist. I’ll update when I hear back.

On the 12th, I went back to check on the Middletons on a foggy morning. Mrs. M was on the nest. She was fidgeting and checking the eggs regularly. I suspect one of the chicks was hatching. I paddled around to see who else might be around. Most of the marsh birds have moved on already. I found just a couple red-winged black birds and several kingbirds.

There were a few painted turtles out basking and looking good.

There were lots of northern flickers chattering in the brush. There must have been several fledglings in the flock. It turns out a flock of flickers is a guttering, a menorah, or a Peterson.

And while I waited for news of the loon chicks, I had time to channel my inner Monet with the water lilies.

There wasn’t any news from the nest by the time I had to head home. The next day, LPC emailed to tell me someone on the pond had spotted the Middletons with a chick.

All too early on the 13th I was up and driving two hours to check in on the heron rookery.

I found just empty nests. And, as birds are wont to do, they left no forwarding address. This was a fun project, hopefully I watch the rookery again next year.

I didn’t get a chance to get back to the Middletons until the 16th.

I found both parents sleeping and floating together. I watched for the chick….

Dad woke and headed off to handle some loon affairs.

Mom awoke and stretched. Sadly, there wasn’t a chick.

On the 17th, I headed west to check on the Westons. A lone loon flew in as I was leaving the boat launch. The loon was feeding with determination and covering a lot of the pond. This was the only loon I saw that morning. On my last visit, the Westons had been at the very far end of the pond. I didn’t get all the way down there this trip. Friends on the pond emailed later to tell me the Westons and their chick had moved back to the main part of the pond.

There was a handful of solitary sandpipers out feeding in the shallows. This one seemed to be doing quite well in the water lilies.

The 20th found me back on the Eastons’ pond. The morning started quietly, with the chicks getting breakfast and the adults preening and stretching.

But things soon took a turn for the worse.

An intruder flew in. The confrontation escalated quickly, with lots of vocalizations and wing rowing. The dispute is between two females. Both went wing rowing up the pond out of sight. Shortly after, two loons came flying back down. I’ve never seen a dispute take to the air. I’m not sure if one of these is the intruder, or if it is the home team. The dispute soon resumed with lots of wing rowing. A couple times, the intruder dove and reappeared between the home team and the chicks. The home team didn’t approve of this and both would go after the intruder.

Here they come wing rowing back up the pond. That’s Mrs. Easton out front getting chased.

And back down the pond – this went on for about 45 minutes. You can see the bands on Mrs. E’s leg, she’s the loon on the left.

Eventually, the intruder departed, circling the pond several times tremoloing. The Eastons had some time to stretch and rest. I headed home.

I went back on the 25th. Once again, the morning started quietly with the parents providing breakfast for the chicks.

The chicks fed, one of the Eastons went off for some time alone. I didn’t see the bands to know who was who, but I’m betting it is Mrs. Easton – she always seemed to do the minimum needed with her chicks.

Mom has alerted and is looking for the threat. It was the intruding loon again. The confrontation soon escalated again.

The intruder coming up the pond. I’d estimate loons get going about 25 mph when they’re wing rowing. This one was making good time.

A change of tactics! The intruder dives! Mrs. Easton dove too and they resurfaced out of sight.

But soon came rowing back down the pond…

They’ve turned around and are coming back down the pond. This is the intruder again.

Mrs. E starts to turn. To turn, the loons put one wing into the water which quickly turns them towards that side.

Mrs. E has her right wing in the water, she’s lifting her left – probably for balance.

And off she goes about 75° off her original course.

With the intruder matching her turn and continuing the chase.

This was another extended fight, with them rowing up and down the pond.

Mrs. E is in the foreground – you can just barely see her orange band in the splashing water.

When the chasing loon catches up, they’ll attack with either their bill or by ‘punching’ with the joint in their wing. Here the intruder has caught Mrs. E and is hitting her with her wing. The fight still isn’t settled. They resumed rowing for a time before the intruder left for the day. I suspect she’ll be back until one of the loons is exhausted or dead. It is tough to watch, but we’ve got to let nature take its course. That doesn’t stop me from rooting for the home team.

With the intruder gone, I went back to check on the chicks. One was sleeping, this one was flexing his wing.

Dad was keeping a sharp eye out to make sure the intruder didn’t return.

Mom didn’t trust the intruder either and was keeping watch too.

After several minutes, the home team relaxed and took time for a quick preening and a stretch. I had to head home. I’ll get back up when I can, looks like we won’t have good weather until the end of the week.

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bull moose, great blue herons, herons, loons, moose, turtles

Checking Up on the Loons, et al

On July 21, 2024 - Loons, Moose, Wildlife Photography

Let’s catch up with the Middletons and the Eastons, I’ve been to visit them – and their pondmates – a couple of times.

Tuesday evening I’ll be at the Loch Lyme Lodge in Lyme, NH to show lots of nature photos and present An Uncommon Look at the Common Loon. For details, timing and prices, see LochLymeLodge.com.

And the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s Fair opens August 3 and runs through August 11. I’m in booth 718. I’ve got lots of new images and favorites from years past. Come on by to have a look. If you’ve never been to the Fair, you’re missing a real show. Besides having some of New England’s best looking photographers, there is amazing work by all sorts of craftsmen, the skill is simply amazing. All the details about the Fair on the League’s site: NHCrafts.org.

The Eastons were receiving visitors when I showed up on July 14. Mom was tending the nest and dad was enjoying a peaceful morning. For a time.

Dad took his time with a through preening, finishing with a nice stretch.

Trouble appeared in the form an intruding loon, a challenger for the pond. Dad went off to set him straight.

After a brief kerfuffle, the intruder decided he’d be better off elsewhere and departed.

Dad took a victory wing stretch and headed back to check on mom still on the nest.

On his way back to the nest, he set a course that brought him very close to my boat, giving me a chance for a headshot. The growth under his bill is likely an abscess, possibly from getting poked with something sharp like a fish fin or fishing hook. It hasn’t changed noticeably in over a year and doesn’t seem to bother him.

Dad checked in on Mom and everything was peaceful when I left.

July 17 was the first day their eggs might have hatched. I went up to see how they were getting on. (They lost their first clutch, likely due to flooding.)

I caught a predawn nest exchange. Here’s dad checking in with mom to see if she wants to end her shift on the nest. She wanted a few more minutes before the exchange.

After a few minutes, mom decided she’d had enough and turned the nest over to dad. Dad climbed aboard and turned the eggs before settling in.

After a few minutes, dad alerted to some threat. This is the posture of a stressed loon – if you’re looking at a nest and see the loon flatten out without your seeing an obvious threat, you may be the threat.

Two intruding loons landed on the pond. Mom went to face them down. She wasted no time displaying how big and tough she was, trying to convince the intruders to go away.

Dad left the nest to join the fray. The loons did the circle dance – swimming around each other, sizing each other up. Loons appear to use the position of their head to communicate. Probably just as well we can’t translate what they’re saying here.

Shortly, there were loons wing rowing in every direction.

After several minutes, the intruders retreated to the far end of the pond. Dad headed back to the nest, mom went out for breakfast.

Dad returned to the nest and reclaimed his spot.

Oops, can’t settle in yet, have to turn the eggs again.

Intruders banished, eggs turned, dad can enjoy his shift. The intruders departed as I has heading to the boat launch.

I went back on July 19 to see if the chicks had hatched.

This time, dad had taken the overnight shift. Here’s mom checking in for the nest exchange. A steady wind came up and seeing we had no chicks, I headed home.

Paddling up the pond, I passed Hank, the great blue heron stretching on some rocks.

On the 20th, I checked in on the Middletons. There was a thick fog when I put in and finding the family was a challenge. Until they swam out of the fog right in front of me.

The last time I visited, I was a bit concerned about the smaller chick. The larger chick had been pecking at him? constantly when he was with the family. The smaller chick had been separating from the family far further than normal at this age. This time, both chicks were traveling with the parents and the sibling rivalry seemed under control.

Mom and dad provided first breakfast for the chicks. This is mom popping up close to my boat with a snack. There’s a fish in all that salad somewhere.

After first breakfast, the family headed out to deep water for some preening.

And the chicks have learned to finish preening with a nice stretch.

First breakfast having worn off, the chicks were ready for second breakfasts. Here’s mom wrestling with a sunfish – that’s a fin sticking out of the water on the left of the image.

The sunfish was very uncooperative. Mom struggled more with this fish than any other catch I’ve seen. Here she finally seems to have it under control.

She tried to hand it off to the chicks. But, since the fish was nearly as long as the chicks, it didn’t work. Mom eventually had a big meal for herself.

Mom and dad took the chicks back to shallow water in a cove to let them forage. This time, mom and dad supervised and made the chicks forage on their own.

The chicks are no longer little fluff balls, they’re growing rapidly. They’re roughly 2/3rds adult size.

This is probably the younger chick, he’s? just showing the first signs of losing his down.

The other chick is well along in losing his down.

Here’s dad – you can just barely see the band on his leg – supervising as the chicks forage.

If you sit very quietly, loons will sometimes swim under and around your boat. One of the shots I hope to get with the new GoPro is a loon swimming by the boat. Almost got it here.

This morning, I headed back to check on the Eastons. There were several deer and a nice bull moose out and about. When I arrived it was a very pleasant 56° with a dead calm wind leaving the water with almost perfect mirror reflections. There were just a few whisps of clouds above and it promised to be a great sunrise on the pond.

This doe isn’t afraid of me. Several times, she’s come down to the shore. When she sees me, she doesn’t retreat, she hisses and barks at me.

This moose was at the far end of the pond. I snuck slowly very close to the shore as I tried to get close enough for a photo. Just as I was getting into camera range, a steady wind came up. The moose quickly got my scent and headed into the brush. Need I add that the wind was pushing me away from the boat launch?

I went back to check on the loons. Mom was on the nest. I grounded the boat to watch. What had been a very pleasant morning went south as a thick fog rolled in making things cold and damp. Of course, I was in just a tee, there having been no need for a sweatshirt earlier. Mom was fidgeting more than usual, so I stayed to watch. And waited…. After a time, she raised her left wing – look very closely, the first chick has hatched.

Here’s a very severe crop of the image to show the chick. With the other chick yet to hatch and being cold and miserable I headed in. I’ll try to get out to visit them again in the next couple days.

A wren has claimed one of the boxes on our deck. She’s spending her morning alerting the world that this is her corner and she isn’t to be disturbed. For sheer volume of song per ounce of bird, there can’t be any noisier bird than a wren.

bull moose, common loons, loons, moose, wildlife

First Loon Chicks Have Arrived

On June 16, 2023 - Loons, Moose, Wildlife Photography

UPDATE: We’ve got a second pair of chicks that have hatched since I posted this. Lots of pix in their own post at here.

The weather final cleared enough to let me get back out to check on our three loon families. Well, sort of. I got very wet the first evening and made it back to the car with seconds to spare the second.

First, there’s some sad news from Vermont, the oldest known loon in Vermont has died. His age was estimated at 31 years. VT Digger https://vtdigger.org/2023/06/15/vermonts-oldest-loon-dies-at-the-estimated-age-of-31/ has a piece interviewing Eric Hanson, Lead Biologist at the Loon Conservation Project about the loon.

With loon chicks hatching it is once again time to request that you give them space if you go to see or photograph them. You may not intend them any harm, but you may distract the parents from seeing other threats. Our new loon chicks were greeted by a circling eagle on their first or second day out. The parents need to concentrate on the real threats, keep back and let them do their job. All the images of chicks here were with a 600mm lens and heavily cropped.

Tuesday evening I got a message from a friend on the Weston’s pond that the chicks had arrived. And that the eagle was eyeing them. Wednesday morning was wet and windy. It gradually cleared a bit through the day. I set out in the evening to check on the chicks. It was sunny when I left the house. On the way into the pond, I had to wait while a doe browsed from the road – with her fawn gamboling about in the road. By the time I had everything in the boat, there were a few sprinkles. Not enough to dissuade in intrepid photographer.

By the time I found the loon family, the rain was steady.

The rain got heavier, but I was already wet and wasn’t going to let it stop me. The lighting quickly changed my mind…..

When I got up at 0345 on Thursday ready to head out, it was raining heavily. Early morning is the most productive time in the office, almost no one calls before 0700 or 0800. I got a fair bit done. When the dogs finally got up, I noticed some breaks in the clouds when I let them out. Hoping it would clear a bit, I headed off to to check on the Middletons.

They’re still sitting on the eggs. I missed exactly when they laid the eggs, the earliest we can expect chicks is this weekend.

Our off duty parent had time to preen and gave several nice stretches.

Being a sucker for the stretching shot, I took full advantage.

The off duty loon approached the nest three times over a couple hours. The loons held a discussion each time, but the on duty loon stayed on duty. Interestingly, the on duty loon just sat and watched when alone. When the other loon approached, the on duty loon busied itself sorting out the brush around the nest and added material to the nest. When the other loon left, the on duty loon went back to sitting.

The off duty loon seemed to be checking in to see if it was shift change yet.

As the off duty loon approaches, the on duty loon starts making nest improvements.

Dredging up some vegetation when the off duty loon showed up.

One more shot of the on duty loon gathering material.

While I waited to catch the nest exchange, I amused myself watching several eastern kingbirds hunting dragonflies.

Kingbirds hunt from low perches along the water’s edge – frequently over lily pads. They make short, fast flights to grab dragonflies and damselflies out of the air.

Eventually, it came time for the loon to switch.

When doing a nest exchange, loons will often forage and preen together for a time before one returns to the nest. Not this time, The off duty loon wasted no time in climbing onto the nest.

Before settling in for the shift, the now on duty loon takes time to turn the eggs.

It took three tries to get everything properly arraigned.

Third time is the charm! After this, the loon settle down and sat. I headed out, hopefully to get back this weekend.

Thursday evening, I went back to check on the Westons. This time with just a couple puffy clouds in the sky.

Both parents were foraging for the chicks near the nest.

This young, the chicks are rarely more than a couple feet away from a parent. Although, both parents may dive at the same time leaving the chicks briefly alone.

This morning, I was up and out by 0430, with clouds above and fog below me as I headed to see the Eastons. They’re up in the White Mountain National Forest, they were on their nest by the time the Forest Service got the road to the pond open, so we don’t know when to expect the chicks. But, the last three years, they’ve hatched in the third weekend of June, so soon…..

When I arrived, one loon was on nest duty. I had a bit of excitement as I looked through the lens. It looked like a chick peeking out from under the wing. No such luck, enlarging the image showed it to be a stray feather. This is the pair where the male is banded. If I can see a leg, I can tell mom from dad. I missed any nest exchange this morning, so I can’t say for sure. But, I’d bet it was dad on the overnight, he’s taken the last few overnights the past three years.

There as a surprising moose to loon ratio on the pond this morning at 1.5:1. This bull looks like the one I saw on June 2. He’s shaking his head after submerging it to get the tasty water plants.

Sometimes I’m convinced the critters know how to frustrate my photography. With the fog and the back light, I suspect this fellow knew he was frustrating me and enjoyed it as he had breakfast.

Our off duty loon was lazily cruising around the pond, occasionally diving to forage. I went looking for other photo opportunities. There seemed to be more herons on the pond this morning. There’s been a resident pair every year since I started visiting in 2012. Later in the season chicks from the nest join the parents. Most of the time, herons are content to stand or slowly stalk along the water’s edge. Occasionally, they’ll make short flight to a new hunting spot or to roost in a tree. This morning I saw about a dozen heron flights and the herons were more vocal than normal. Not sure if the resident pair was restless or if more have moved in.

This heron posed nicely. He kept me occupied by occasionally crouching as if about to strike – which kept me glued to the camera. Before I could get a pic, I was distract by two new visitors to the pond.

Mrs. moose was out and about. Seeing two moose in a day is a treat. But we weren’t done.

A second bull was foraging with the cow. I can remember just a couple days in my life that I’ve been lucky enough to see three moose in a day.

I’ll be out looking for the rest of our chicks as soon as we get a break in the weather.

Link to the newer post: https://blog.ianclark.com/photography/wildlife-photography/the-eastons-have-two-chicks/

birding, birds, bull moose, common loons, loon chicks, loons, moose, new hampshire wildlife, vermont wildlife

Loon Chicks at Four Weeks And More

On July 18, 2022 - Loons, Wildlife Photography

Sunday morning was a beautiful time to pay a visit to the Eastons – the loons in the eastern most pond I visit regularly. The chicks were four weeks old this weekend. Both seem to be doing well.

Our bluebirds have four chicks in their second brood, they should fledge this week. There are at least three chicks from the first brood still around. The like to hunt from the roof of the house, they come and go past my office window regularly.

I’ll be down at the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s Fair in August. I’ll have lots of prints of loons and other wildlife and more. Stop by to say hello.

The loons had another visitor before dawn.

A good-sized bull moose was feeding in the shallows of the pond.

The specs above him are flies – either horse or deer. I had impolite words for several that went after me.

His antlers are still in ‘velvet’ – sort of a skin that delivers nutrients to the growing antlers. He’ll scrape off the velvet in late summer, before the rut.

Mom and dad took the chicks into shallow water and showed them how to forage. The chicks can’t dive yet, but can reach down. After a lesson, mom and dad went to work serving up a proper breakfast, mostly crayfish.

The parents will often show the chick the meal, then drop the meal in front of the chick. The chick has to learn how to grab food for itself. I think this is dad showing the chick a crayfish.

Dad dropped the crayfish and watched while the chick tried to catch it.

Our osprey had to work for breakfast. He made five dives without catching anything before heading off over the trees.

After breakfast mom and dad tried to nap.

The chicks gave them a short break before demanding second breakfasts.

I think I’m being chastised. I carry a supply of soda in the boat. When I finish a can, I toss it over my shoulder into the back of the boat. I tossed one and missed without realizing it. I’d padded about 50 yards when dad approached the boat, then veered off towards the can. I promptly went back for it.

Something spooked the loons. I couldn’t figure out what upset them. Mom and dad went off to deal with the threat and the chicks flattened out to be harder to see.

When there’s any sort of breeze that ruffles the water, the chick’s defense is very good. On flat water, they’re more obvious.

Mom on her way to help dad with the threat. They were close to shore of one of the islands in the pond. They made several aggressive dives without my seeing any threat.

The threat neutralized, they returned to delivering second breakfasts. Both parents were bringing food as quickly as they could catch it. Our chick is stretching his leg, they may do this to cool down. Looks like he has some more growing to do before those feet fit.

Second breakfasts finished, the parents took some time to preen. This is dad. He’s wearing bands put on by the Loon Preservation Committee. Banders put four bands on the birds. On the right leg is a silver band with a unique number from the United States Geological Survey. The number is next to impossible to read if you’re not holding the loon. So, banders put another colored band on the right leg and two colored bands on the left. The combination of colors let’s observers identify the loon without having to capture it.

Our osprey returned and made up for his earlier lack of success.

Mom finished preening and gave a good stretch before settling in for a nap.

#leagueartist, #nhphotoartists, bull moose, loon babies, loon chicks, loons, moose, new hampshire wildlife, vermont wildlife