Happy Father’s Day From PLPA

Father’s Day Celebration with the loons.

With Pearl’s hatching yesterday, we now have our two chicks out and about. Despite the cool gray morning, we were able to get some photos of them on the water. Pardon the grainyness of some of the photos (low light + distance = not as sharp as we like).

The loon chicks now enter a critical and vulnerable phase. They are off the nest and out on the lake, riding and sleeping on their parents or floating alone as the parents forage for them. If you are boating, please keep a sharp eye out for them and do not get to close. Interrupting their normal behavior means less food for the chicks.

The parents become the new nest. Chicks will ride on their backs or snooze under their wings.

Usually one parent will carry the chicks while the other forages. At this stage, Placido is beginning to be fed. Today Pearl mostly was offered drops of water.

Chick being offered a drop of water.

Both chicks are swimming – fluffy little corks with webbed feet. Mostly, they just practice looking cute!

When both parents are foraging the chicks are on their own. They are vulnerable and hard to see! Please be watchful when on the lake.

(photographs by Jen Esten and Jon Waage)