New beginnings

9 mins read
Introducing: Little Chick, Franklin County’s newest, and cutest, resident. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
Papa Loon keeps track of his little one. A question I’ve been frequently asked is whether or not the parents leave their chicks alone while they dive for food. The answer is yes. Sometimes they hide them in tall grass, other times they leave them to bob around on the surface by themselves. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
Little Chick waits for its parents to return from a quick dive. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
After resting under Papa’s wing, Little Chick climbs out of the feather maze. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
Little Chick takes a ride on Papa’s back. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
It was time for Little Chick to learn how to eat live food. On this day it was a yummy live minnow which he wanted nothing to do with. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
Mama Loon patiently showed him the fish over and over again, keeping it wet and fresh. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
No thank you. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
Mama continued to try to interest LIttle Chick in the fish. But, Little Chick preferred water lilies. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
This is what happens when a lone male tries to join the family unit. Papa wasted no time jumping on him as he tried to get away. After much running and splashing, the intruder left for the opposite end of the pond. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
After so much activity it was time for papa’s feather care. Mama snuck in a short nap behind him. Eyes closed, head resting on her back, chick snuggled up to her. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
Ready to run. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
Quiet family time. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
The single male loons’ club. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
Loons waggle one foot at a time to warm it after being in cold water. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
Quiet. Egypt Pond. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)

Robin twins shortly before they fledged. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
Queen Anne’s Lace heralds in summer. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
After a very busy morning, LIttle Chick took a much needed nap on a lovely winged feather bed. Goodnight little one. (Photo by Jane Naliboff)
A chipmunk is thirsty. (Photo by Paige Plourde)
Then a little clean up time for chipmunk. (Photo by Paige Plourde)
Turkey vulture soars above recently hayed fields in Wilton. (Photo by Tom Oliver)
Whip-poor-will in my backyard in Wilton. (Photo by Tom Oliver)
Male bobolink in Wilton. (Photo by Tom Oliver)
Hiding in the hay.  (Photo by Dennis York)
A doe feeding in Weld. (Photo by Dennis York)
A ruffed grouse with his ruff up. (Photo by Dennis York)
An Osprey on an old pine snag in Rangeley. (Photo by Dennis York)
A doe seeks a shady spot on a hot afternoon. (Photo by Dennis York)
A bull moose in Stratton. (Photo by Dennis York)
A cow moose in Stratton. (Photo by Dennis York)
A bull moose with a very tiny set of antlers. (Photo by Dennis York)
Bunnies in a clover patch. (Photo by Dennis York)
A female rose-breasted grosbeak in an apple tree. (Laura Ganz)
An American robin fledgling perching in a rhododendron bush. (Laura Ganz)
A beautiful hummingbird (Photo by Karen Dalot)
A baby squirrel. (Photo by Karen Dalot)
Ever feel a little trapped? (Photo by Karen Dalot)
A thirsty grackle. (Photo by Karen Dalot)
A mother wren on the clothesline. (Photo by Karen Dalot)
A very hard working bumble bee. (Photo by Karen Dalot)
Tide pool at Reid State Park. (Photo by Bernadette Harvell)
Buck in Farmington. (Photo by Steve Muise, Farmington)
Atlantic puffins on Seal Island, Maine Coastal Islands, National Wildlife Refuge – A foggy day still yielded plentiful birding and great views, and an interesting sheen to the photography. The fog
reminded me of August in Nova Scotia. (Photo by Steve Muise, Farmington)
Atlantic puffin off of Seal Island, Maine Coastal Islands, National Wildlife Refuge. (Photo by Steve Muise, Farmington)
Arctic tern off of Seal Island, Maine Coastal Islands, National Wildlife Refuge – Arctic Terns in North America can fly 25,000 miles per year in migration. (Source: All About Birds, The Cornell Lab) (Photo by Steve Muise, Farmington)
Black guillemot taking flight after a successful catch, off of Seal Island, Maine Coastal Islands, National Wildlife Refuge. (Photo by Steve Muise, Farmington)
Harbor seal off of Saddleback Ledge, near Stonington, Maine. (Photo by Steve Muise, Farmington)
Saddleback Ledge Light, Saddleback Ledge, near Stonington. (Photo by Steve Muise, Farmington)
Full moon. (Photo by R. Spencer Thompson)
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7 Comments

  1. Jane N., each Loon season, I eagerly await your photo journal of a Loon Family. This year is sheer pleasure and, as always, and education. Kudos and many thanks.

  2. Great photos this week,as always!,thanks Tom for the whip poor will photo, i read they have ruby eyes you did amazing to get that shot!,thanks to you all the loons are so cute!,so enjoyable too view these!,thanksagain!!!🙂

  3. These photos are some of the best EVER! They should be in National Geographic. Thanks to all.who take them and share them with all of us

  4. Amazing Loon installment! And Tom it was excellent to see you in the Wilton field again. Thank you for sharing the Whip-poor-will and Bobolink!

  5. Wow, the photos are absolutely amazing this time!!!! The loon photos by Jane, the whip-poor-will from Tom, the puffins and harbor seal from Steve, and Karen’s hummingbird were tops for me; yet I loved them all.

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