These encounters with Minnesota's state bird, began calmly enough as I sneak up on a family with two little chicks.
The adults start to look concerned...
and the chicks stay close by...
And then the chattering begins. Actually the loons have four major calls and the one they give in this situation is the distress call to let everyone know they aren't happy or some danger is nearby (a big yellow kayak).
There is a lot of hooting and then the babies dive under the water at some unperceived signal...
and then the fun begins.
In a great display of anger the loons begin scooting across the water with chests pushed out in a show of toughness.
Aren't you scared? They literally run across the water while in this position all the time screaming their distress call.
Both the adults are involved and it is quite a show.
Sometimes they end their run with a splash going directly under water only to surface close by.
They seem totally unafraid of the intrusion and our better discretion makes us quickly move away so as to not upset them further. Soon as if by magic the little ones surface near the parents and they glide away to safety while we go on our way.
On the other hand we tried to make this Great Blue Heron fly but he wasn't budging. Such fun!
The adults start to look concerned...
and the chicks stay close by...
And then the chattering begins. Actually the loons have four major calls and the one they give in this situation is the distress call to let everyone know they aren't happy or some danger is nearby (a big yellow kayak).
There is a lot of hooting and then the babies dive under the water at some unperceived signal...
and then the fun begins.
In a great display of anger the loons begin scooting across the water with chests pushed out in a show of toughness.
Aren't you scared? They literally run across the water while in this position all the time screaming their distress call.
Both the adults are involved and it is quite a show.
Sometimes they end their run with a splash going directly under water only to surface close by.
They seem totally unafraid of the intrusion and our better discretion makes us quickly move away so as to not upset them further. Soon as if by magic the little ones surface near the parents and they glide away to safety while we go on our way.
On the other hand we tried to make this Great Blue Heron fly but he wasn't budging. Such fun!
1 comment:
Wow, those pictures are so neat!
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