Common Loon Family - one day old and having fish for breakfast

[Randy Stout]

This family was imaged in northern Michigan last summer. The chicks are one day old. I had the privilege of being there when they hatched the day before. I had watched the family from inside a cottage about 130 yards away from the nesting platform. Since I knew the date that they went on the nest, I was pretty confident that they would be hatching within a 3-4 day window, with any luck.

I want to emphasize that my friend and I have spent hundreds of hours over the years with this particular pair of adults, bobbing around in our kayaks, and they have become quite comfortable with us. If they show any signs of stress, we leave. At this point, they sometimes swim so close to us that we can't focus on them! I mentioned in another post that when Gene put the artificial nesting platform in the water this past spring, the adults were waiting for him and followed him as he towed the nest out to its anchoring spot.

The birds safety and well being is more important than any photograph of them.

D500 500mm AFS, f/6.3, ISO 640, 1/500s. Hand held in my kayak.

Post: Small crop for comp. Selective sharpening.

I have thought about a crop with the right hand chick cut off, but liked the family effect as presented, even if the head angle on the right chick is less than ideal.

Advice and comments always appreciated.

Cheers

Randy

[Krishna Prasad kotti]

I completely agree that safety of birds are more important than the image.

I like the image a lot. Nice clean Backgrounds. Feeding Behavior.

[John Mack]

Another great loon image. Love the green water and those little chicks.

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the interaction you captured here Randy! Nice BG/FG, water color,IQ and composition. Great story on your relationship with these loons too!

[dankearl]

Huge cuteness factor and I like the comp a lot...
It looks like you could lower the exposure a tad.

[gail bisson]

I like this Randy. You really have 2 pictures here as both options 1.with the two chicks and . one chick would look great. I think I would marginally prefer just the one chick.
I love the greens of the water and the BG merging seamlessly and the water drop on top of the chicks' head is very sweet. Shows how little he is!
Excellent IQ and interaction captured,
Gail

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Randy, lovely low angle from your kayak, and well set up to capture the feeding behaviour. I like the look from the chick expecting to receive his meal. Over the years, there is no one on this site that can capture Loon behaviour as you do.

[Randy Stout]

Thanks everyone for the comments.

I will do a redo on a singe chick crop. See which one I like.

Cheers

Randy