Loon Chicks on Caesar Pond-1st week of life

I shot video of the loon chicks through their first week of life. Did you know that for the first two days, the chicks can actually walk on land as their bodies are short enough to place their feet more directly under their bodies? Cool! As they grow longer they lose that ability. And, check out their big feet! It was so much fun to see these chicks zipping around in the water.

When chicks are so young, they cannot regulate their body temperature very well and thus have to ride on their parents' backs periodically. They can swim immediately, but are prey to all kinds of animals. You will see a dramatic scene of a snapping turtle pulling one of the chicks underwater. I did not think it had survived, but Mama bird was somehow able to free it from the turtle. In subsequent photos, I did see a few markings on the chick's chest, but it did not seem to be seriously hurt and acted like nothing had happened.

As chicks near one week of age, they can regulate their body temperature better and stay in the water for longer periods of time. They practice diving and are so cute when they pop back up to the surface!

As always, here is a map of my location from the loons. I used a tripod on land for the entire week. This way, I could be assured of somewhat steady photography without bothering the loons whatsoever. Letter A represents video from when the chicks were 2 days old and for the action scene of 4 days old. Letter B represents video from when the chicks were 4 days old and had been hanging out in the middle of the pond. Letter C represents video from when the chicks were 7 days old (hence the very blurry video.) Anytime the birds were farthest away, the auto focus had difficulty keeping the chicks in focus as they were so small in the distance.

Loon Chicks are 4 days old

At 4 days old, chicks ride on their parents' backs as they cannot regulate their temperature that well yet. 

Their wings are still little stubs, their bodies are covered with down, and they are dark brown above with cute little white bellies.

They swim enthusiastically, dive underwater periodically, and then climb up under a parent's wing to hop on board.

The chicks are entirely dependent on their parents for food.

The food consists of tiny minnows, leeches, and tiny aquatic insects.

Chicks are very enthusiastic about their food and seem to be fed constantly! For more information about loon development, check out the Loon Preservation Committee website.

Loon chicks have hatched!

 

I think the chicks hatched out either Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning. Which is about 27 or 28 days from being laid. Mama loon was still sitting on the nest Tuesday afternoon. I heard quite a commotion in the evening and on Wednesday. When I went over for a quick peek this afternoon, I saw a chick on Papa's back. Yahoooo!

The chick sat up and looked around...

Stretched its neck... 
Then, it dropped its head down and fell asleep. Do you see where the other chick might be? They have big feet compared to their tiny two day old bodies! I spy extra feet sticking out from the side of Papa.

There it is! This is a screen grab from video so you can see both chicks!  Now, cross your fingers and toes that these chicks survive. (Sorry for the blurriness of the photos. As always, the loons were at maximum reach for the camera from shore.) For more information on loons, check out the Loon Preservation Committee website.

Pink Lady's Slipper

I have a love affair with Pink Lady's Slippers, one of four species in Maine. This species is the most common throughout Maine forests, and we have been lucky to see four of them on our woodsy walks of late.

They have a special relationship with mycorrhizal fungi that supply these orchids nutrients. Never pick them or try to transplant them as they will not survive. It is best to leave them in place and enjoy them in the forest.

So pretty... This species, Cypripedium acaule, is pollinated by bumblebees.

Raindrops on Flowers!

Foxglove

We got an inch of precious rain, and after it was over the flowers were sparkling all over the yard with raindrops adorning their flowers, stems, and leaves. I love the magnifying effect they create. So pretty!

I am in love with my poppy plant. Here is a bud covered with hairs and droplets of all sizes!

And, my deep red peony has flower buds that are thinking about unfurling. They are especially gorgeous after the rain.

The ants are attending the pink peony as there are extrafloral nectaries on the outside of the flower bud that produce sugars that the ants feed on. Luckily, the ants do not hurt the flowers.

One of my favorite leaf shapes is that of the lupine. They collect so many water droplets that bead up on the edges of the leaves.

Eastern Wintergreen and Wild Strawberries

Our woodsy walks of late have yielded some gorgeous flower and berry sightings. Hix Small Cemetery has lots of Wintergreen berries snuggled down in the lichen. Did you know that the Wintergreen is the original flavoring and has been mostly replaced by artificial flavoring in foods?

There are also Wild Strawberries in bloom and with ripening berries along the edge of the forest road, throughout the cemetery and our yard! When Toby had sight, he used to love browsing for strawberries in our backyard.