Loon exercises, frog sings, apple blossoms nourish

7 mins read
Loon Traffic Controller, Egypt Pond. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
Comparing the left and right wing feathers, it’s possible to see the messy feathers on his left. After he flaps those expansive wings everything will be aligned for smooth diving and swimming under water to feed again. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
Running exercise keeps the loons fit and ready for taking off. They require 600-800 feet of water runway to take flight. Because their feet are placed far back on their bodies, the strong wings do most of the work when running. Underwater, however, their feet are at work. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
Loon feather straightening after a good run. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
Like origami, a loon takes several steps to fold its wings back into place and return them to hug the body. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
In-flight loon over Egypt Pond. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
Outcrop with moss phlox in Chesterville. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
Nature’s reflection-art. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
The scent of spring: lilacs. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
Here comes Teeny Little Super Chip. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
Teeny Little Super Chip gives himself a good scratch. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
If you scratch too vigorously, you’ll become a twisted teeny little super chipmunk. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
Teeny Little Super Chip is learning to navigate his world. He’s about half the size of a mature chipmunk and has much to learn before winter. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)

Teeny Little Super Chip looks for predators before having a perennial salad. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
Curves. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
“Rocky Raccoon went up to his room, only to find Gideon’s” suet. (Photo by Jane Naliboff/ lyrics by The Beatles)
The sound of summer nights. (Photo by Melissa Saxton)
The sparrow. (Photo by Melissa Saxton)
Female grosbeak. (Photo by Melissa Saxton)
Red breasted grosbeak, such beautiful songs. (Photo by Melissa Saxton)
Yellow-billed cuckoo at the head of Wilson Lake in Wilton. (Photo by Tom Oliver)
Baltimore oriole in crabapple tree in Wilton. (Photo by Tom Oliver)
Yellow-bellied sapsucker in Wilton. (Photo by Tom Oliver)
Northern parula at Hills Pond in Perkins Twp. (Photo by Tom Oliver)
Wilson’s warbler at the head of Wilson Lake in Wilton. (Photo by Tom Oliver)
Indigo bunting in crabapple tree in Wilton. (Photo by Tom Oliver)
Canada warbler in Wilton. (Photo by Tom Oliver)
Black-billed cuckoo at the head of Wilson Lake in Wilton. (Photo by Tom Oliver)
A snapping turtle in Wilton. (Photo by Dennis York)
A hummingbird working the apple blossoms. (Photo by Dennis York)
A moose, drinking from a roadside puddle in Weld. (Photo by Dennis York)
A red squirrel is always busy. (Photo by Dennis York)
A black-capped chickadee hanging in an apple tree. (Photo by Laura Ganz)
American redstart – Foothills Land Trust, Wilton. (Photo by Steve Muise, Farmington)
Tiger swallowtail foraging, Whistle Stop Trail, Farmington. (Photo by Steve Muise, Farmington)
Tiger swallowtail foraging, underside view, Whistle Stop Trail, Farmington. (Photo by Steve Muise, Farmington)
Tiger swallowtail foraging, side view, Whistle Stop Trail, Farmington. (Photo by Steve Muise, Farmington)
Piping plover, Goose Rocks Beach, Kennebunkport. (Photo by Steve Muise, Farmington)
Great blue heron at sunset, Milestretch Road, Biddeford Pool. (Photo by Steve Muise, Farmington)
Goose Rocks Beach, Kennebunkport at sunset. (Photo by Steve Muise, Farmington)
Alder flycatcher, Farmington.  (Photo by Steve Muise, Farmington)
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9 Comments

  1. Wonderful photos this week, thanks to everyone for your efforts!

  4. Absolutely stunning photography by all the artists; I could almost smell those lilacs, touch those birds, feel the breezes on that beach, and hear the flapping of wings!!! You all add to a beautiful start to my day! Thank you!!!

  5. Great birding photos Tom, is the cuckoo normally seen around here? You also had a picture of a prairie warbler a few weeks ago that was really interesting (in that I’ve never seen one!)
    Enjoyed the American Redstart photo too. Going to need to do some research!
    Thank you to all who posted photos, they are all exquisite.

  6. Nature Lover, both cuckoo species are not very common and the Yellow-billed is less common here. They are easier to hear than see. The Prairie warbler is found regularly in several places in Maine including behind the Augusta airport where I got the photo. Thanks for the compliment!

  7. I have a whipper will that greats me every morning at 4 am ,Tom do you any information about them,thanks and sorry about my spelling

  8. Cheryl, We have Whip-poor-wills at our house also. They are nocturnal and therefore very difficult to photograph. Sometimes they vocalize all night long. Check on ebird.com or google for more information.

  9. Thank you Tom,you also do wonderful photos i learn so much about different birds you post, looking foward to more

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