Collecting Loons?

Loons are in the process of molting their feathers. Some places are thick with drifting feathers—some as small as ¼-inch. The Smile of The Great Spirit shines in every exquisite feather !

 

That's pretty cool. Can you take a photo of some?

They are in the process of gathering for winter too. I saw TEN all together today. What a beautiful sight, but it makes me sad they are getting ready to leave. They will hang out until just before Thanksgiving.
Went by your house today, NH. Went for a boat ride with some friends and I waved to you. I wasn't sure if you were there though.

fshnski wrote:That's pretty cool. Can you take a photo of some?

Sure...waiting got TinyPic to finish its one-minute ad...followed by another ad...followed by still another ad!
 
BTW: Sunny and clear forecast for another full week!
 
 
 
'Seemed to have dodged those advertising bullets...
 
Two Loons (of six) seen equidistant from 2nd-highest peak in the background. Left Loon is doing a high-speed run across the water to help remove the old feathers during the Molt. The other is just relaxing in the sun.  
 

 
Near-miss by a speedboat of the six Loons:
 

Near miss by a few hundred yards... Wait how long is a football field? Did you call the MP?

I've seen loons "run on the water" many times. I had always wondered why they do that.

They also have to do it to fly, fsh. They can't get off the ground unless they go a long way through the water.

I know, WHL,I have a background in outdoor education. I was a member of the LPC for a long time. Even before the new building was built for the center. I've been on the water a lot over the years. I've seen loons do many interesting things. I have video of two running together at the sou'-west part of the broads. They went once from right to left (s to n) for what seemed like a mile, took a couple minutes to preen and headed back together in the direction from whence they came. The loons traveled at least as far in their second run as they did in the first. They go pretty darn fast don't they?

They do. I haven't seen the ten that were gathering yesterday. I don't think I have ever seen that many together. It is usually four or five or six maybe but not ten.

I've seen that many loons grouped together in Melvin and Moultonborough Bays a couple of times. The biggest group I ever saw was at the rocks in Moultonborough Bay across from Bald Peak towards Camp Tecumseh.

How many?

fshnski wrote:I know, WHL,I have a background in outdoor education. I was a member of the LPC for a long time. Even before the new building was built for the center. I've been on the water a lot over the years. I've seen loons do many interesting things. I have video of two running together at the sou'-west part of the broads. They went once from right to left (s to n) for what seemed like a mile, took a couple minutes to preen and headed back together in the direction from whence they came. The loons traveled at least as far in their second run as they did in the first. They go pretty darn fast don't they?

 
 
'Wish I'd had a video camera a few years ago. A flight of three Loons had taken off (no easy feat for a bird as "heavy" as a penguin), and had flown directly over my head.
 
 
 
Videos of loons in flight are scarce—take-offs even more scarce—and of landings on video, I've seen none!
 
Loons can't put their feet forward—like water skis, or like a duck—to coast to a landing, so they just crash! Sometimes, those crashes are funny, with wings, tail, feet, and head tumbling in spray.
 

WHL wrote:How many?

I've seen 14 gathered together in Winter Harbor, and reported that to FATP.

They chase each other around, and poke from underneath the surface. They're collectively telling themselves it's time to move on—and they leave us for the relative warmth of unfrozen "pastures" when the lake's wind is right and usually before 8-AM in the morning.

Take-offs are an ordeal!

 

The biggest group I ever saw was a "baker's dozen"