A Season with the Loons 2022 Original Project

For several years, one of my favorite wildlife subjects has been the common loon. I am lucky to live in New Hampshire, at the southern fringe of where this bird of the north breeds in summer. Their super cute chicks and the attentive parenting behaviors are what first got me interested in photographing them. My idea for my 2022 project was to visit my "loon ponds" routinely from when the loons first came back in May until they left in October. I wanted to document the entire process of nesting, chick hatching, and growth through the summer until fledging. Read the description for the story and to learn cool facts about loons. You can also click "View as slideshow" below...
1 The Idea: Capturing Creative Images
1. The Idea: Loon Chicks and Parenting
1 The Idea: Loon Chick Riding Parent
1 The Idea:  Better backgrounds
1 The Idea: Loon Chick Napping
1 The Idea: Chick Ride
1 The Idea: Using water as a reflector for background
2.  Loon Habitat:
2 Loon Habitat:
2 Loon Habitat:
2 Loon Habitat:
2. Loon Habitat:
3.  Loon Chick Growth:
3.  Loon Chick Growth:
3.  Loon Chick Growth:
3.  Loon Chick Growth:
3.  Loon Chick Growth:
3.  Loon Chick Growth:
3.  Loon Chick Growth:
3.  Loon Chick Growth:
3.  Loon Chick Growth:
3.  Loon Chick Growth:
3.  Loon Chick Growth:
3.  Loon Chick Growth:
3.  Loon Chick Growth:
4.  Loon Diet and Chick Feeding:
4.  Loon Diet and Chick Feeding:
4.  Loon Diet and Chick Feeding:
4.  Loon Diet and Chick Feeding:
4.  Loon Diet and Chick Feeding:
4.  Loon Diet and Chick Feeding:
4.  Loon Diet and Chick Feeding:
4.  Loon Diet and Chick Feeding:
4.  Loon Diet and Chick Feeding:
5.  Loon Behavior:
5.  Loon Behavior:
5.  Loon Behavior:
5.  Loon Behavior:
5.  Loon Behavior:
5.  Loon Behavior:
5.  Loon Behavior: Eye Spy a Damselfly
5.  Loon Behavior:
5.  Loon Behavior:
5.  Loon Behavior:  Loon Foot Waggle
5.  Loon Behavior:
5.  Loon Behavior:
5.  Loon Behavior:
5.  Loon Behavior
5.  Loon Behavior
5.  Loon Behavior:
6.  Species Sharing “the Loon Pond”:
6.  Species Sharing “the Loon Pond”:
6.  Species Sharing “the Loon Pond”:
6.  Species Sharing “the Loon Pond”:
6.  Species Sharing “the Loon Pond”:
6.  Species Sharing “the Loon Pond”:
7.  Time to leave “the Loon Pond”
7.  Time to leave “the Loon Pond”
7.  Time to leave “the Loon Pond”
7.  Time to leave “the Loon Pond”
7.  Time to leave “the Loon Pond”
7. Detail at Dawn