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Fall and our friends begin to leave

5 mins read
A ruby-throated hummingbird. They are gone to their wintering places in Central America now. We may see the occasional straggler, but the majority are approaching the Gulf of Mexico. A friend reports busy feeders in The Woodland outside Houston. (Tony Nazar/Wilton)
A ruby-throated hummingbird. They have gone to their wintering places in Central America now. We may see the occasional straggler, but the majority are approaching the Gulf of Mexico. A friend reports busy feeders in The Woodland outside of Houston. (Tony Nazar/Wilton)
Fall starts Sept. 23rd as leaves already start to.. fall (Jim Knox/Wilton)
Fall starts Tuesday, Sept. 23, as leaves already start to fall. (Jim Knox/Wilton)
Little Loon's prominent brow is easily seen in this photo, identifying it as male. Females have smooth round heads and are smaller than males. I jumped the gun when I called him a she before his feathers were fully in. (© jane naliboff photo/Chesterville)
Little Loon’s prominent brow is easily seen in this photo, identifying it as male. Females have smooth round heads and are smaller than males. I jumped the gun when I called him a her before his feathers were fully in. (© jane naliboff photo/Chesterville)
A bee on thistle. (Tony Nazar/Wilton)
A bee on thistle. (Tony Nazar/Wilton)
Mount Katahdin rising up behind early fall colors. (© jane naliboff photo/Chesterville)
Mount Katahdin rises up behind early fall colors. (© jane naliboff photo/Chesterville)
Bog drip. (© jane naliboff photo/Chesterville)
Bog drip. (© jane naliboff photo/Chesterville)
Sunset on Moosehead Lake. (© jane naliboff photo/Chesterville)
Sunset on Moosehead Lake. (© jane naliboff photo/Chesterville)
Every honey bee fills with ecstasy imbibing Autumn’s mead. A beautiful sight at dusk. (Jane Knox/Belgrade)
A honey bee fills up: A beautiful sight at dusk. (Jane Knox/Belgrade)
Red, white and blue. Crimson ivy is first to turn on nearby birches. Jane Knox/Belgrade Lakes
Red, white and blue. “Crimson ivy” is first to turn on nearby birches. (Jane Knox/Belgrade Lakes)
squirrel wondering if I realize it can’t get to the bird feeders with me sitting there. (Tony Nazar/Wilton)
Squirrel wondering if I realize it can’t get to the bird feeders with me sitting there. (Tony Nazar/Wilton)
Broad-winged Hawk, head of Wilson Lake, Wilton. (Tom Oliver/Wilton)
Broad-winged hawk at the head of Wilson Lake in Wilton. (Tom Oliver/Wilton)
“ button buck” getting to know his older relatives in a field in Wilton. (Tom Oliver/Wilton)
“Button buck” getting to know his older relatives in a field in Wilton. (Tom Oliver/Wilton)
Home alone; This lone loon still.....Keeps watch for his mate....Soon he will be gone, but I'll bet he'll be back next year! Hill's Pond..Weld Rd...(Jim Knox/Wilton)
Home alone: This lone loon still keeps watch for its mate at Hill’s Pond off Weld Road. Soon it will be gone, but I’ll bet we’ll see this loon back again next year! (Jim Knox/Wilton)
dragonfly, some type of darner, at the head of Wilson Lake in Wilton. (Tom Oliver/Wilton)
Dragonfly, some type of darner, at the head of Wilson Lake in Wilton. (Tom Oliver/Wilton)
Lincoln’s Sparrow at the head of Wilson Lake in Wilton. (Tom Oliver/Wilton)
Lincoln’s sparrow at the head of Wilson Lake in Wilton. (Tom Oliver/Wilton)
Milkweed Tiger Moth caterpillar with offspring. (Kelly Smith/Farmington)
Milkweed tiger moth caterpillar, with offspring. (Kelly Smith/Farmington)
(Donovan Buck/Belgrade)
(Donovan Buck/Belgrade)
Little Loon all alone in full adult winter plumage. He called for his parents while floating around watching the far end of the pond for them, but there was no call back. Past parents haven't left this early in the season, so there's hope that they're still there for their chick. Loons eat under water, so unless I drop a waterproof camera into the pond, I have no way of knowing if he's catching his own food. The end of parenting is always a sad time when following a chick so closely. Like the chicks before him, he came from the opposite side of the pond to be close to where I was sitting for company. I'm hoping to watch him practice running and flying. For anyone tuning in late to my loon sagas, loons need 600-800 feet in order to take off due their solid bones; his pond has just enough room. I'll be checking in on him again soon. (© jane naliboff photo/Chesterville)
Little Loon, all alone in full adult winter plumage. He called for his parents while floating around watching the far end of the pond for them, but there was no call back. Past parents haven’t left this early in the season, so there’s hope that they’re still there for their chick. Loons eat under water, so unless I drop a waterproof camera into the pond, I have no way of knowing if he’s catching his own food. The end of parenting is always a sad time when following a chick so closely. Like the chicks before him, he came from the opposite side of the pond to be close to where I was sitting for company. I’m hoping to watch him practice running and flying. For anyone tuning in late to my loon sagas, loons need 600-800 feet in order to take off due their solid bones; his pond has just enough room. I’ll be checking in on him again soon. (© jane naliboff photo/Chesterville)
Sunset on Ragged Stream. (© jane naliboff photo/Chesterville)
Sunset on Ragged Stream. (© jane naliboff photo/Chesterville)
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15 Comments

  1. Nice pictures—residents need to petition and complain to towns like Wilton to ban fireworks on the lakes and ponds because the unreasonable noise disturbance is harmful to nesting Loons and Eagles

  5. These are all amazing pictures. So beautifully done. Tony; my favorite is the bumblebee on the thistle. What a great contrast. Thank you all.

  9. Wilton Z., we have the same problem on Great Pond with fire works all summer. Drives me and the animals nuts.

  15. Many thanks to Jane N. for her Loon chick photos and background, and well as all the spectacular sights as Maine transitions from one season to another!

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