Loon Update and Turtle Cove

The Loon family has made it through the 4th of July weekend. They have spent a fair amount of time in Turtle Cove, but are also out on the lake a lot, so keep an eye out for Pablo when boating.

Pablo is growing fast. No sibling and all the attention from two parents is helping. Here are photos two weeks apart.

Pablo and parent on June 21st (9 days after hatching) still with his “baby beak”.

Pablo and mom on July 5th (at 23 days old) with a more loony beak.

A few more of our recent favorite photos.

Into the Cove Slowly and Quietly

It is always worth a visit to Turtle Cove, but we find the best way to go is slowly and quietly. Drifting into an area brings you close to lots of amazing creatures.

A decaying log can have its own miniature forest of bog plants, including a carnivorous one!

A sundew “leaf” with its sticky “hairs” waiting to snare an insect or two.

Getting close to a dragonfly can be an adventure in patience and drifting with the wind.

Here is a recently molted damselfly on a Spatterdock flower filled with tiny flies.

Sitting there quietly brings the chance to see more animals in action.

One of two Common Merganser females with chicks. This one has three.

The other female we see often in the cove has eight chicks.

A male Common Yellowthroat comes out of the bushes to see who is there.

A great Blue Heron stalks and captures a large catfish.

We are getting really close with telephoto lenses and cropping our photos, but a pair of binoculars could do the same for you. Or you can just sit and wait for things to come close.