I checked on little loon all week, every day, and kayaked the entire pond on Saturday (Nov. 19) morning. It appears that our loon flew to the coast where it will live for two or three years while it matures. Here’s a look back on our Loon Chick Check:
Bye little loon! Thanks for a wonderful 18 weeks Jane :)
Jane…..
Thank you for allowing all of us to share in this incredible journey of “Little Loon.”
IT WAS TRULY AN AWESOME TRIP!!
What a wonderful photographic journey of Little Loon! The parents of Little Loon did a marvelous job and should be very proud. Thank you, Jane, for sharing your joy.
It was a joyous journey for all of us,too! Thank you Jane.
Love it! The GRAND finale of loon chick checks. Thanks for your dedication, Jane!
Enjoyed these very much, Thank You for sharing
I can’t thank you enough. You have given us all a remarkable gift.
Again. Thanks JC
I have been watching loons for more than 55 years. For over 40 years the loons never successfully hatched chicks. The pond never afforded sufficient protection for the eggs. Then we built a small floating platform from plans from the Audubon Society. It took the loons a couple of years to find it, but, after they did, they have raised at least one chick most years. Audubon does not recommend using such an artificial island to attract loons, but they do admit that it is useful where loons are already there, trying but failing to have chicks. Plans are readily available on the Internet. I’m in the phonebook. Thanks to Jane, this year watching loons was very very special, both in person and seeing the photos from week three on. I particularly loved seeing the picture of the chick flying at the end. I also loved seeing the photo of the nest where it started. When we took the platform out of the water this Fall, it was damaged beyond what we were willing to repair. We built a new one. It now sits pondside with the old familiar nest cleaned up, ready to go again next Spring at iceout. Jane has been invited. Stay tuned.
Thanks so much Jane. Truly beautiful pictures. After all your hard work and dilgence you must feel sad.
You ought to make these into a book.
What a marvelous trip we have all been able to share with you. You did a wonderful job keeping up with “Little Loon”.. it is such bittersweet to know the little one has left on his journey. Thanx agian Jane Job Well done ! !
Not everyone can have the pleasure of watching close up as a loon pair raises its young family. And certainly, no one should ever try to approach a loon that closely, so you and your wonderful camera have given us all an amazing opportunity to view nature in a most unique timeline of nurturing from birth to independence.
Thank you for your talent and dedication and most of all, for sharing this beautiful picture story!
Once again, thank you to everyone for your lovely words. As a book proposal, it was extremely helpful for me to get reader’s reactions and see that it’s possible to fall in love with an animal (how could you not love that little chick face?) and understand a story through photographs. It’s especially wonderful when the story begins at two days old and have the advantage of watching the growth changes on a weekly basis. I hope everyone learned as much as I did about this wondrous bird, this bird we look forward to hearing each spring, this bird so many of us take for granted. I’ll never take them for granted again, I’ll understand why a lake or pond in the spring is heavenly for each loon after a winter in the ocean. I imagine it must feel like a spa after surviving winter storms, low temperatures, high winds, and waves high enough to keep the ferries tied up. And after being beaten up all winter, they molt before coming back to us with brand new black and white feathers, looking perfect and regal. A special thank you to Nancy Prince who has a new book out about what else, loons, Libby’s Loons. And one last thank you to Rodney and Wendy who built the platform and told me about the eggs hatching. I don’t think they had any idea that I would turn one look at a chick into this project, but it was just what I had been waiting for. It was a once in a lifetime experience, and thinking ahead…I saw the new platform covered in snow just waiting to be put in the water come spring. If the proposal finds a home, I’ll let everyone know! Happy Thanksgiving. Stay warm. Cheers, Jane Naliboff
thanks so much jane!!
What a wonderful journey you took us on. I loved the pictures! Thank you so much for sharing your piece of the world. Can’t wait for the next adventure!
Thank you to all who a part in this adventure and especially thanks to Jane. You and your work are an inspiration to me and lots of others according to their comments. I’ll be looking forward to your next adventure, whatever it is. Make sure there is a Daily Bulldog story when your book comes out. All I ask is that the print is reasonably large. So many books and magazines today are in 8 font or smaller. Few folks over 50 can enjoy that size print. It used to be standard was 12. Many, many of us would benefit if it changed to 14. I would be able to enjoy it without having to sir nd manipulate it under my reading mahine.
Thanksgiving Blessings to you and yours. You are on the top of my gratitude list for this year!!
Jan Hansen Lambert
I didn’t find “little loon” until we’d left Porter Lake this fall and checked The Bulldog for local news. What a fabulous photo essay. We had a mid-July hatch on the island in Porter Lake. Its parents managed to protect it from the eagles nested there. It appeared to flourish but we worried about its readiness to fly out before freeze up. We’re hoping it is on the coast with “little loon” now. We greatly appreciate your commitment and your sharing your talent with us all.
thank you for sharing the photographic journal of the baby loon…it certainly was a treat :)
Not much I can add to the comments already left except to say “thanks”. Really looked forward to the pictorial every week.