Many of the birds around the marsh are nesting, there are lots of parents hauling groceries back their nests, others still sitting on their eggs. The Canada geese have mostly moved on, making the local ponds much quieter places. Let’s see who was out and about this past week.
With several nice days, painted turtles were out in force basking around the local ponds and streams. Turtles are out laying eggs around the Upper Valley. She”ll lay between 20 and 40 eggs. The eggs will take something like 80 to 90 days to hatch. The hatchling turtles may spend the winter in the hole she dug before venturing out in the spring. Dragonflies and damselflies are abundant this time of year. They’re great mosquito hunters and prey for many of the birds around the marsh. Eastern kingbirds are common around the marsh. They hunt insects, including the dragonflies and damselflies. Kingbirds will often perch on stumps or brush just above the water, darting out when a meal comes in range.An eastern kingbird hunting insects over the water in the marsh. Eastern kingbirds nest in trees along the edge of the marsh or fields. The female will incubate the eggs and both will work to raise the chicks. Our loons are still sitting on their eggs in the Upper Valley. They should hatch within the next few days. Please don’t approach the nest or chicks, this was taken with an 800mm lens and cropped. Another one of the local loons sitting on the nest.
And, of course, no visit to the pond is complete without a couple photos of the loon stretching.
This loon has just finished a shift of nest sitting and gives a good stretch.
Many of the loons around the area have laid their eggs and are sitting on their nests. I’ve been out on several ponds this last week, checking on them and in some cases, putting out the loon nesting signs. Let’s see what I saw along the way.
Just a reminder to let the loons be. You may have the best intentions, but the loons don’t know what you’re up to and approaching them may stress them. And, while it may be harmless for you to approach the nest to have a quick peek, remember you could be the 20th person getting close enough to stress the loons. All the photos of the loons on or near their nest were shot with a 800mm lens and cropped – I’m back well over 100′.
A pileated woodpecker gives me a flyby over one of the local ponds. An eastern kingbird poses nicely not far from one of the loon nests. There’s a beaver lodge that I have to pass to visit the loons on one of the ponds. The beavers are sure to greet me as I pass.
When I last checked on the loons on this pond, they were still exploring real estate. The swim along the shoreline – usually on an island or check out the hummocks in the marsh. They vocalize softly while hunting for a spot. The male will eventually pick a spot. If a pair was successful hatching chicks the year before, they’re likely to pick the same spot again – if it is still available. On my most recent visit, the loons had selected a spot near where last year’s nest was and were sitting on egg(s). Loons’ legs are very far back on their body, making walking difficult. They’ll nest within a couple of feet of the water. This loon is climbing out of the water to take a shift sitting on the egg(s). Both parents take turns sitting on the eggs. Females are more likely to take the night shift and spend more time sitting as incubation ends. During the day, the pair will do a handful of nest exchanges – a shift change for sitting. Often when the off duty loon returns to the area around the nest, the loons will dip their heads with the tip their bills in the water. I suspect it is a greeting, but haven’t found any documentation to back that up.
Loons coming off a shift of nest sitting will often stretch and preen a bit before heading out to forage. I think is is the loon version of a yawn, with full neck stretch. An early morning departure for one of the loons on a local pond. Another loon sitting on a nest. The loons on this pond were successful in raising two chicks last year, the laid their eggs in the same spot. All those black specks are black flies. It is a very good year for the flies. Here’s the same loon leaving the nest for shift change. This shot gives you a good view of how far back their legs are.
Loons lay one or two eggs in a simple nest. Here’s the same nest late in the day. I returned to the pond with their sign to try to keep people away from the nest. Loons will pant like dogs when they’re hot. This loon has been in direct sun for several hours and is trying to cool down. This loon is very stressed – an otter surfaced not far from the nest while I was watching. If a loon flattens out like this when you approach, you’re too close and are bothering the loon.
If you’re sitting quietly, loons will sometimes surface close to your boat. Of course, we’re all looking for the shot of a loon stretching…
I hope to follow a couple of loon families for the rest of the summer again. Sign up for post updates to keep up with how they’re doing.
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.
Geese seem to be everywhere near the water this time of year. Lots of them coming & going or squabbling over territory. Here’s one inbound. Another goose outbound.One of a pair of geese that landed near what another pair of geese considered their territory. This goose left in a hurry. Go away!, he explained. Lesser yellowlegs foraging along the bank.A swamp sparrow surveying the territory. A male yellow-rumped warbler, aka ‘butterbutt’ and lots of his friends have been out gleaning along the water’s edge.Mrs. Butterbutt thinks nabbing a tasty bug is as easy as falling off a branch.Elvis, the kingbird, is back for the season. I was headed upstream when I met a muskrat coming downstream.A turkey vulture circling overhead.An adult bald eagle flew down the river, briefly silencing the geese.A murder of crows escorting a red-tailed hawk from the premises.The crows seemed pretty insistent that the hawk move along. I was lurking peacefully in the reeds when this bittern let out a pump-er-lunk just a few feet from me. This beaver escorted me from one end of his pond to the other, slapping all the way.The beaver put on a good show. This is just after the tail slap, just a foot remains above water. A common gallinule appeared – briefly – from the reeds.And a male red-winged blackbird claiming his territory. There was a pair of loons foraging on the pond Sunday evening. That’s the beaver in the foreground. The loons seemed unimpressed by his tail slapping. A local common loon heads out on some errand. Loons are excellent fliers, but have to run across the water for many yards to get enough speed for liftoff.Our outbound loon had to circle the pond a couple times to gain enough altitude to get over the hills surrounding the pond.A loon stretching. That’s the beaver in the background.
I’ll be following a couple loon families throughout the summer, along with other critters. Sign up for notifications to follow along.
