Posts Tagged: canada goose

Catching Up with the Usual Suspects

On May 6, 2024 - Loons, Wildlife Photography

I’ve been able to get out a few times to visit two of the loons’ ponds. The loons are out and about, along with the full cast of the usual suspects.

The Vermont Institute of Natural Science in Quechee is hosting my exhibit of loon prints through the end of July. There will be a reception where I show my slideshow, An Uncommon Look at the Common Loon, on Saturday, May 11 at 3 p.m. There are more details at https://vinsweb.org/event/artist-exhibition-ian-clark/ and https://www.facebook.com/events/454025283855444.

And, I’ll be presenting An Uncommon Loon again at the Lakes Region Art Association Gallery in Laconia, NH at 6 p.m. on May 20. The talk hasn’t been posted on their site yet, but details about the Association are at https://lraanh.org/.

Do you have critters around? While I do a lot of scouting on my own, tips for finding critters are always appreciated. I’m always looking for mammals, if you’ve got bobcats, coyotes, fishers or bears that show up more than once, I’d love a chance to photograph them. I’m also looking for owls, woodpecker nests and scarlet tanagers along with rarer species that may not visit feeders regularly. Places where I can come and go early in the morning or late in the evening without disturbing you or the critters are best.

And now, the critters. Here’s a skunk that doesn’t seem to appreciate my trail camera.

Last Friday, I caught up with some volunteers from the Loon Preservation Committee (LPC)
as they deployed their loon nesting platform on Post Pond in Lyme, NH.

Nesting platforms have been a huge success in helping restore the loon population. The LPC put out their first platform in 1977. Since then LPC volunteers and staff have floated loon nesting rafts on New Hampshire lakes 1,685 times – not including this year. Nesting loon pairs have used these rafts 917 times, and hatched 976 chicks on the platforms – an incredible one in four chicks hatched in New Hampshire. You can learn more about LPC at www.loon.org – and check out their loon cam watching a nest in the Lakes Region at https://loon.org/looncam/. Sign up for their newsletter to keep up with New Hampshire’s loons. Vermonter’s loons get assistance from the Vermont Center for Ecostudies, check out their site, https://vtecostudies.org/

Volunteers Jim Mason (orange kayak), his wife Dayle Mason and Wayne Pushee (blue kayak) towing the loon nesting platform. Loons on Post Pond have used the platform for several years.

The platform ready for the loons to move in.

On April 23, I made it out to check in with the Westons. (For new readers, to give the loons some privacy, I named the loons on the pond to my east the Eastons. The loons to my west are the Westons, and the pond in the middle hosts the Middletons.)

Getting ready for the day, both loons did some quick preening, ending with a stretch and a shake of the head.

The Canada geese have – mostly – claimed their nesting sites and many of the females are sitting on their nests. This brings some peace and quiet to the pond. Here’s one of our geese heading out for the morning.

This pond hosts at least three pair of beaver. This fellow popped up in close to my boat.

He was too close for me to get a good photo of his tail slap.

But, I got a great look at his back feet as he dove. They’re HUGE!

The pond also hosts a variety of ducks. Here’s Mr. Mallard posing nicely.

Female red-winged blackbirds have returned. Males have returned about three weeks ago to stake out territories to be ready for the ladies. This was the first female I saw this year. Her appearance had the males singing and displaying with gusto. The females are perfectly colored to blend into the reeds while they sit on the nest, they don’t have to be flashy like the males.

On my way out, the loons were doing a thorough preening. They usually finish with a wing stretch. I waited a few minutes and was rewarded when they both stretched.

There was another mallard drake posing by the boat launch when I arrived. As I was putting my gear away, an immature eagle dove on him and his mate. The both dove and lived to quack another day.

Last Friday, I visited the Middletons. They were busy foraging, apparently having to work for dinner. They were making long dives and covering lots of territory underwater. I went to see who else might be around the pond.

There was a large number of painted turtles basking around the pond.

This painted turtle seems to be giving me some attitude…..

There was a small flock of warblers foraging for insects high in the trees. I tried to tell them that the black flies were available at my eye level, but they didn’t seem interested. This is a yellow-rumped warbler, known as a ‘butter butt’ to birders.

And this explains how they got their name.

There were several pine warblers in the flock. I’ve yet to get a good photo of one. They tend to forage deep in the brush, making it hard to get an unobstructed view of them. It turns out one of my skills is photographing branches on which pine warblers were very recently perched. (My other talent is stalking heron-shaped sticks.)

This time I got lucky enough to actually get the bird before it flew. Looks like I’ll have to keep trying…..

The Middletons finished dinner and cruised not far from the boat launch as I headed in. Once again, one beached and called – it looked like the female presenting, but the other loon did not respond. It is still a couple weeks early for them to be mating. I didn’t get a shot of her before she returned to the water, but here she is checking me out.

Saturday morning found me visiting the Westons once again. The weather went south rapidly and I left when it started raining.

The loons were busy preening when I caught up with them, both ended with a big stretch.

Eastern kingbirds were out in large numbers. They’re insect hunters – they love dragonflies in season. They perch just about eye level on the edge of the pond and dart out to nab insects passing by.

Another kingbird perched along the side of the pond.

One of the loons stretching a leg. This gives a great look at how far back their legs are and the size of the foot.

Of course, I was willing to pause in the rain to get one last nice wing stretch….

beaver, birding, birds, canada goose, loon, new hampshire wildlife, vermont wildlife

Visiting the Westons

On April 28, 2023 - Loons, Photography, Wildlife Photography

I’ve been back to the Weston’s (the loons to my west) pond three times since failing to break through the ice on the 17th, and finally managed to get photos of them. Along with some of their pond mates.

Before we get to the photos, is there anyone interested in a trip to see the puffins on Machias Seal Island? A friend and I made reservations out of Grand Manan Island for the trips on July 28 & 29. She can’t make it, I’m hoping to find a new sidekick to come along. I can get away a few days before if we want to explore anywhere along the way, but I have to head back promptly after the trip. Send me an email if you’re interested.

I ventured out to the Weston’s pond on the 20th and again the 21st. Both afternoons had a brisk breeze. The loons were out on the main body of the pond and the waves ruined any chance for good pix of them. I spent some time poking around the marshy coves.

Hank heron was checking out the buffet along the pond’s edge.

I could hear an American bittern calling ‘chu-peep.’ It took almost two hours over two evenings to finally find him in the brush.

A pair of upstanding common mergansers along the marsh. There are also lots of wood ducks and a few hoodies around, but they’ve been too skittish for photos.

The male red-winged blackbirds are working on sorting out territories. They were more animated this morning, but I still haven’t seen a female.

I was out early this morning, finding thick fog and a brisk 30° when I launched.

The loons were just starting out on their day.

There was a couple dozen geese around. Several already sitting on nests, the rest spending much of the morning honking.

As I was exploring the marsh, a gander made a ruckus. Had he been quiet, I’d have missed his mate on the nest. I had to back out and try somewhere else to avoid disturbing her.

Even though we had a quorum of geese, they kept arriving.

Landing gear down, one makes a smooth landing.

This red-winged blackbird has claimed his territory and was lackadaisically calling.

After another male landed in his territory and was escorted out, the blackbird upped his game. You can see his breath in the cold morning air.

Our loons spent most of the morning foraging, making long deep dives. After a time, they took time to preen.

After preening, the both had a good stretch.

My hummingbird feeder is out. We often get one or two the first couple days in May. I suspect they’re making a brief stop before continuing north. We should have our residents back by the end of the week. The weather forecast looks miserable for next week, but I’ll be out again as soon as I can.

birding, birds, canada goose, geese, goose, new hampshire wildlife, red-winged blackbird, rwbb, vermont wildlife

The Usual Suspects, May 6, 2022

On May 6, 2022 - Uncategorized, Wildlife Photography

Let’s round up the usual suspects. I finally had time to get the kayak in the water and have ventured to a couple of the local waterholes. Let’s see who I’ve found.