This morning, at about 4:30 a.m., I heard the loons kicking up a huge racket, and was worried that something was raiding the nest. They've been on the nest for about 3 weeks or more, we're hoping that any day now we'll see chicks. I paddled down the lake at about 7:00 a.m. in my kayak, and cruised by from about 40 feet away to check if there were still eggs. I was happy to see one of the loons on the nest, glaring at me. I took a few quick shots and kept on going. Last year's nest was raided by either racoons or coyotes or the otters, we're hoping they'll be successful this year.
***Note: Blessed be digital...long lenses and raw files...one can shoot from a distance, then enlarge and crop the image on the computer. The following are details of pictures from this morning, taken with a 300mm lens.
Detail from picture above of the loon giving me "the look". On the way back out she was on the open water, and I could see the two eggs.
On to the herons. Back further in the swamp I counted 7 nests, with 3 chicks in 6 of the nests, 4 in the 7th. Pretty good crop this year. I just hope my bullfrogs keep out of sight. I looked for grackle nests, sometimes grackles will find a hole in the underside of the pile of branches and tuck their nests in just out of reach of the herons. I'll have to take the binoculars with me next time and cruise around a bit more.
Can you imagine feeding this crew! When the parents come flying in with food, it sounds like a flock of hungry pteradactyls in a B-movie.
Detail of 3 chicks from another nest. This nest is only about 4 feet above the water, so I could a more straight-on view.
When I got back out onto the open water, the other loon was preening and seemed unconcerned as I drifted by. I waited with the camera ready, and caught "the stretch". We're keeping our fingers crossed that we'll soon see a pair of chicks with the adults.
No comments:
Post a Comment