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Thread: Watching the sunrise - common loon and chick

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    Avian Moderator Randy Stout's Avatar
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    Default Watching the sunrise - common loon and chick

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    This pair was captured last week. It was 6:14 in the morning, the sun was just coming over the tree line.

    D4. 600VR. 1/250s, ISO 450 f/4. Taken from the bottom of my little boat

    Post: Mild crop for comp. Cleaned up a few spots in water. Selective sharpening.

    Advice and comments always appreciated .

    This one is bitter sweet for me, as this was the last day I saw the chick alive. He had lost his sibling a few days earlier, which is not unusual for only one chick to survive, but this one was large enough he should have had an excellent chance to make it. I came back a couple days later, and I knew something was wrong at once, as the adults seemed a bit frantic, and were searching the shore line, giving the soft hoots they do when calling for their chick.

    I don't know what happened, could have been predation, although I have never seen an eagle on this lake, and he was a bit big to be at risk from a pike or other predatory fish. Possibly a large snapping turtle. Or some health issue, but he had been growing like a weed.

    The lesson learned, is to cherish every moment you have in life, as it can be gone in an instant.

    Randy
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    BPN Member Bill Dix's Avatar
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    Sweet, sweet light, great subject; your signature foreground fade into background. And a bittersweet story. Is this the only pair on the lake?

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    Very nice. Great pose on the adult and chick. The light is nice as well. Really like that green water.

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    excellent light, detail, pose, and point of view. Nothing to complain about here

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    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    Serenity personified and photographically perfect. Bummer on the lost chick. At least five loon nests failed at Basket Lake during my recent visit. Anita is going to build some loon nest platforms for next year but not sure that they will help as there are lots of predators up there.

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    BPN Member William Dickson's Avatar
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    This is beautiful Randy. Very well done, it's very pleasing to the eye. I would have this printed big, in remembrance of the lost chick.

    Will

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    BPN Member Tim Foltz's Avatar
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    Randy, sweet shot, colors, BG, water, chick, light and angle, very nice.

    -Tim

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