First Light (Photographed by Jane Naliboff)One week old loon chicks out with Papa for breakfast and loon lessons. Having been born later in the season they need to learn all things loon quickly to be ready to leave the pond before it freezes in late November or early December. Little Loon One and Two are approximately the same size, but LL One has mastered more skills: short dives, coming upright to flap wings, preening, and catching plants for fishing practice. It’s all quite impressive after just a week. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)The chicks ride on Papa when they’re tired or cold. Here we can see one chick is covered up by a wing and and its sibling’s foot. That foot got a little nibble later on. Lesson learned, feet are not for breakfast. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)A family affair. (Photographed by Jane Naliboff)Papa tries to feed a chick. Loon chicks have to learn to eat live food which they’re reluctant to do at first. Papa was very patient and kept the fish wet and alive until the chick was ready to give it a go. Dropping the fish in front of the chick teaches fishing skills. The answer to the oft asked question, “Do the parents leave the chicks alone to dive for food?” Yes, they do. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)Little Loon One, (most likely) practices coming upright for future feather straightening. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)Papa made certain that both chicks were fed. He had better luck getting them to take fish than he did with crayfish, although one of the chicks eventually took a wiggly crayfish, tore it apart, and ate it. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)Mmmm, fresh wiggly seafood. Seriously? No. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)A picture perfect Maine morning. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)Week old loon chick, pure cuteness. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)Little River Lighthouse, Cutler Harbor. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)An Atlantic puffin socializes with razorbills on Machias Seal Island, a 20 acre nesting island on the border of The Gulf of Maine and The Bay of Fundy, located 10 miles from Cutler Harbor. Its location means that there are no mammal predators to harm eggs or chicks allowing the 5000 Atlantic puffins, 800 common murres, 4000 razorbills and 800 terns to nest undisturbed. There is one predator however, seagulls, which are culled occasionally. The question always asked is, should one species be culled to save another, in this case, terns who nest in grass in the open? (Photo by Jane Naliboff)Atlantic puffin ready for take off. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)Atlantic puffin taking a stroll on the rocks. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)Puffin in profile. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)Tiny dancer. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)Puffin calling. A group of puffins calling sound like chainsaws. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)Up close with a puffin. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)Puffin backside view as it gets ready to fly to the sea below. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)Razorbills, social and affectionate seabirds. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)A common murre, on the left, hangs out with a razorbill on Machias Seal Island. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)Terns (Photo by Jane Naliboff)Tern chick. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)Teddy Bear, a very messy eater with sunflower seed mush around his mouth, not rabies foam, wondering about the human. Just to be safe from the big lens aimed at him, he ambled off into the woods leaving the broken suet holder and the branch it was attached to on the ground for us. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)Teddy Bear’s picnic, 3:30 p.m. A huge surprise! (Photographed by Jane Naliboff)A big Teddy Bear! (Photographed by Jane Naliboff)Doe and fawn checking out my bow target. (Photo by Dennis York)Storm clouds headed our way at Popham Beach. (Photo by Jane Knox)With these temps the water is very inviting. Jump in but be careful at the ocean where the water is still cold! (Photo by Jane Knox)A young robin in nest just before fledging in Wilton. (Photo by Tom Oliver)A black bear in western Massachusetts. (Photo by Tom Oliver)(Photo by Tom Oliver)(Photo by Tom Oliver)(Photo by Tom Oliver)Twelve-spotted Skimmer dragonfly at the head of Wilson Lake in Wilton. (Photo by Tom Oliver)Wildflowers aglow! (Photo by Marianne Perry/Kents Hill)Splashes for Poppies! (Photo by Marianne Perry/Kents Hill)A Farmington sunset (Photo by Paige Plourde)Another picture of the sun setting in Farmington. (Photo by Paige Plourde)Bigelow Mountain. (Photo by Paige Plourde)
Unreal stuff, Jane. Must have been a week to remember for you. And for those of us who follow these postings.
Awesome pictures. Thank you
Wonderful photos of EVERYTHING!
Wow. These are great. Thanks!
Wonderful photos….thanks so much for sharing.
Spectacular! Thank you all for your efforts and for sharing!
Amazing photos. Love the up close puffin and the amazing loon pictorial .
Wonderful pictures, thank you for sharing
Thank you for the amazing shots…The bear pictures were outstanding.
These photos are SPECTACULAR! All of them!! Just makes me sigh with wonder at the beauty that lives around us. Thank you for capturing and sharing.
GREAT PICTURES BY ALL, JUST LOVE SEEING WILDLIFE & NATURES BEAUTIFUL SURROUNDINGS !!
SPECTACULAR!!!
Beautiful photos….the puffin pictures are so perfectly taken!!
Unbelievable pictures! Thanks so much!
I LOVE IT ALL!
The loons, puffins and a bear all in one week? Just amazing! Thank you Jane for the photos and education.
Incredible pictures by all, thanks so much for sharing.
Wonderful Pictures! Thank you for sharing.
I was wondering it those are ticks in the ears of the bear in Massachusetts? Just curious.