RTY Photography Blog

I have followed this family of Common Loons since I arrived here at Acadia in June. Starting with the adults sitting on the eggs for about 28 days, up to and including today when I spotted one of the chicks. The two chicks were hatched on July 15 and are over twelve weeks old. The adults will be leaving them any day now. The chicks will follow shortly after and head for open water. They won’t return for at least two years and will mature in six years. They will spend most of those years on the ocean. The odds on making it to fledge are small, but it looks like these two will make it. It has been awesome watching them grow, observing from the shore and the kayak. Hopefully, the adults will return in the spring. Here are some photos from the nesting days, more posts will follow.

Mom adjusts the eggs.

Both adults will sit on the eggs.

On the lookout, eagles are a major predator.

In hot weather, the adults will sometimes leave the eggs for a swim.