The weather and my travels have kept me from checking in on the loons since July 24 when I found the Eastons fighting with a pair of intruders challenging them for the pond. Sunday morning dawned without rain and only a light breeze. I headed back to check on the Eastons.
There was a loon wailing when I put the boat in. I had to paddle down most of the pond before I found the first loons. Mom was feeding one chick. This is the pond where dad is banded, letting me tell who is who. I checked the pond with the binoculars, no sign of any more loons. I settled in to watch. Our osprey showed up to hunt for breakfast. He? circled low over head for several minutes before diving and coming up empty. While I was watching the osprey, dad and the second chick snuck up on me and joined mom. Shortly afterwards, the adults gave sharp calls and the chicks flattened out on the water as an intruder arrived. The three adults circled briefly before things escalated quickly to a wing rowing chase. One loon repeated displayed the penguin dance. I lost track of the third loon. Our pair formed up and swam south.
Sometime later, they headed back north and rounded a corner out of sight. A loon flying south appeared and circled to gain height to clear the hills as it departed. Mom took off and followed a few moments later.
Dad gathered the chicks and headed back south, foraging along the way. One chick was almost exclusively feeding itself while the second was putting dad to work. Adolescent loons will crowd their parents and nibble on them to let them know their hungry. Which seems to be almost all the time they’re not sleeping. This chick is trying to explain to dad the the horrors of not having been fed for the better part of a minute and urging dad to action. Dad didn’t get the hint, our chick grabbed a few feathers and pinched him. Dad finally caught on and dove. Dad came up empty, the chick returned to explain his plight. Dad’s luck improved and he was able to deliver several fish and crayfish to the chick. Our osprey reappeared and circled the overhead for a few moments before settling in a tree to watch for breakfast opportunities. Our chick took a break from the buffet to stretch. You can see the flight feathers growing in on the underside the chick’s wings. Dad popped up right next to the boat with a tasty crayfish. Our chick made quick work of the crayfish. Still hungry, the chick grabbed a bunch of dad’s feathers to signal he’s ready for the next course.
Our osprey made another dive that missed and circled a few times before heading off to the north. Our chick took a moment to preen and then went up for a stretch. He spun something like 560 degrees while stretching. I have no idea why, but he looked like he was having fun. He’s up and starting his stretch and spin. Spinning to the right….. 180 degrees……Coming around to 270 degrees….. And around again… One last shake and time to get back to breakfast. Dad took a moment to stretch. Our chicks faced off momentarily, it appeared they were working out the pecking order. Just a little pushing and shoving to figure out who’s the boss. The chick that looked to have come out on top of the skirmish finished with a stretch.
It was time for me to head out and I started paddling towards the boat launch.
I caught up with the osprey making yet another try for breakfast. Success!
A friend on the Middleton’s pond tells me they’ve had intruders regularly over the past few weeks. I’m watching the weather and will get out to check on them and the Westons as soon as I can.
The forecast for this morning called for rain. I happily planned to sleep in. Owing two huskies often thwarts such plans. When I let them out, there were stars to be seen. There was a thick fog over the Connecticut River, but clear skies above. The Middleton’s – the loons that live on the pond between the other two ponds – pond is a few hundred feet above the Connecticut. Hoping for some mood shots, I packed up and headed out.
The pond had a moderate fog and flat water. I had guessed correctly. There was no shortage of Canada geese on the pond. I noticed nine nests while I was exploring.
It didn’t take long to find the loons, they were in one of their favorite coves. And sleeping in. And they continued to sleep in…. After a time, they began to stir. They both did a very quick preen and stretched their legs. Before giving a good wing stretch to get things going. Loons on this pond have often nested in this cove. Two years ago, they relocated the nest. This morning, they took a quick tour around the old nest site, poking into the brush and hooting to each other.
When loons are courting, they’ll swim quickly along side each other, softly hooting to each other, and they’ll make synchronized dives. This morning, our pair made a quick courting display before heading off to breakfast.
With the loons off having breakfast, I spent some time exploring the marsh. Warblers are back, the pond was surrounded by yellow-rumped warblers and common yellowthroats. I saw a black & white warbler – briefly. And, the spider webs were covered in dew and standing out. Before I could concentrate on photographing warblers, bigger things were afoot.
A bald eagle that had been sitting out of my sight dove on the pond, coming up empty. I wasn’t quick enough to get the camera around for the dive. He? landed in a tree overlooking the pond and I settled in to wait for the next dive. The osprey on the pond have returned to their nest and were not in the mood to welcome an eagle. One of the osprey came in and dove at the sitting eagle. The osprey came in close to the eagle. I’m glad I wasn’t on the business end of the talons. The osprey pulled up and came around again. The eagle was standing higher and calling louder this time. That didn’t discourage the osprey. The osprey made five dives at the eagle. The eagle held his ground. The osprey headed down the pond towards the nest. Having proved he could hold his ground (hold his tree?), the eagle sat for a time before flying off to a new perch – out of sight of the osprey. He eventually came back, dove for a fish and missed. Settling in a new tree, the osprey started in on him again.
The loons would be rooting for the osprey. Osprey’s diet is almost exclusively fish, they leave the loons alone, while eagles are a very real threat to loon families.
My luck with the weather ran out. A few raindrops remined me that the huskies needed their morning run. I had the boat packed up and was pulling out of the parking spot when the rain hit. The huskies enjoyed romping in the mud when they got their run.
