Skip navigation

Loon Family and Friend

These loons had a hard time getting started this year when their first nest failed. They tried again so here they are in August raising their youngsters. It will be a while before they can fly. I imagine, if they survive and their parents are patient enough to stick around, it will be mid to late September before they can migrate. There are three other lakes in the area with loons and this is the only one where the young loons have survived. Bald Eagle are tough on loons.

Both parents look like they’ve been through the ringer this year. One has an old wound on the forehead. It looks like it’s healed but the feathers haven’t grown back. The other has fishing line coming out of its mouth and perhaps around its neck. Hopefully there isn’t a lead sinker still attached. Last year’s female on this lake died from lead poisoning.

And there is a third loon that came to ‘visit’ each morning. While it is in breeding (alternate) plumage, it appears to be somewhat smaller than the other two.

I photographed these birds from my kayak at a safe distance with a 600 mm lens.

A Few Raptors

From my recent camping trip in the Okanogan Highlands. Merlin, Red-tailed Hawks, Bald Eagle. The eagle was hoping to catch a young loon or duck. The Merlin is a youngster, constantly screaming for help from its parent. I think the Red-tailed Hawks were a family group.

Water Birds

Ducks and coots, mostly youngsters.

Bopping Along

The Spotted Sandpiper is a cute little shorebird often observed along rivers and lakes. I saw this one recently along the edge of a lake and photographed it from my kayak. There may have been more than one. I only saw one at a time over the course of three days. They are always bopping their tail up and down and they peep when they fly. It’s a distinctive peep in their habitat making them easy to find.

Marsh Hawks

Last week, when I was in the Okanogan Highlands, I had a chance to watch and photograph Northern Harriers. Their previous name is Marsh Hawk and I don’t know why it was changed. Marsh Hawk is a fitting description as they are often seen flying over marshes and open fields, hunting for prey. They are a beautiful hawk with an owl-like face. These birds are probably juveniles and maybe an adult female. The adult males are gray with similar markings and sometimes referred to as the grey ghost.