It's always interesting to watch loons feeding a chick. The objective is to grow the chick as quickly as possible, with typical meals including tiny fish, invertebrates, crayfish and bits of vegetation. This chick was hatched on June 23, Damariscotta Lake, Maine, and a week later (time of this photo) has grown to nearly twice its original size. By mid-August, the immature's mantle and wing feathers are gray-brown and it has grown to 80% of adult size. By November, the young loon is essentially adult size and ready to fly out of fresh water to spend the winter in salt water along the New England coast.
Techs: 7D, 700 mm, ISO 400, f/6.3, 1/500 sec, +0.67 EV. Post: Cropped some from top and bottom; USM on birds.
Had the opportunity to witness Loons up close and personal for the first time last month and was impressed with how attentive and gentle the adults are with the chicks and this image portrays that very well.
Ah, very cute and intimate moment captured. I like your choice of crop, but the image needs some CW rotation. Thanks for the info on loon chick growing progressions...
Interaction: Loon feeding chick
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