Interesting Loon Behavoir

While enjoying the start of a new day at Quabbin I watched this ditant adult Loon swimming along with a single chick on its back.
Some type of threat came about. ! The Loon sarted calling frantically as it lowered itself in the water. It looked like the chick was nesteled under the wing. . The other adult Loon came flying in like a fight jet ( cover pic).
In less than a minute all was back to normal and all three Loons went about there day.
I am guesiing it was probally a Eagle that caused the concern.

" Correction" I had incorrectly  identified the above loon for a Red Throat Loon.

It is a Common Loon. Thanks Dale for bringing this to my attention and identifying properly.

Jim

Great Time To Be Out & About

I was hoping this doe might have a fawn with her. If she did she sure wasn't going to show me!

This GBH kept a watchful eye on me as we watched dawn set into a small swamp.

This male and female Northern Flicker's put on a Dancing with the Stars show this morning.

On the ride home the one ugly Turkey Vulture posed for a picture.

Jim

Took A Boat Ride This Week

The eagle pictured above made for a good start of  a day on the reservoir.

It was a shaky start to the day with the motor quitting two miles from the boat ramp. I can now add that I can row a boat two miles ........lol

That being said,

This eagle flew by checking on how was doing

Shortly after a loon flew by

Did mange to get a pic of a single eagle chick sitting in a nest.

It certainly was an eventful day all around

Jim

Not Purrfect ! But We'll Take It !

Pretty exciting morning ! I headed out early to one of my favorite locations.
Just about there, I rounded the  corner on the dirt road and caught a glimpse of a bobcat just rounding the corner about fifty yards ahead me. I tried to get an " Evidence Pic" but the cat was out of sight before the camera was ready.
Crap......... I cant let this opportunity just walk away !

I needed to pic up a fast pace and keep quiet while doing this. Not hustling but ten yards, a kitten bobcat busted out of the woods a short distance in front of me and ran across the dirt road.
Good for me she didn't run down the road following her mother......
If I could make the next corner without being detected there might be a chance for a picture.

Wow... there she is

I was able to keep her curiosity for several minutes.

A second after this pic she was GONE!!

Jim

Its that time of year when turtles lay eggs. The female snapping turtle in the pic above was interesting to watch. I had come across her just about the time she reached  the area where she would dig a hole for her eggs. I continued on knowing I would pass this same area on my return trip in about  in an hour or so.
On my return trip she was done and  resting o on a rock that overlooked a brook . I continued on and stopped some distance away to take a last glance. She decided to take the easy way back to the brook.

Also came across this painted turtle laying eggs

First thing this morning this porcupine steeped out of the woods onto the dirt road a short distance from me. What happened next was a surprise

It turned and walked right up to me. The pic above was taken with my iPhone. It looked at me  as to say, where the heck did you come from , turned and went about its day.

A very good morning out !

Jim

The title page picture is a young black bear . Interesting a mature bear wandered in later in the day.

Certainly look like a healthy mature bear.

This is a first. A bobcat scratching a  log.

A distant moose walks by at a distance.

Would of been nice to get one of the above critters on my SLR. It was very warm today keeping most animals to minimum amount of movement.

Jim

I had an opportunity to watch a den of foxes who made their home in a busy neighbor backyard. What was unique (at least to me) was that the den site housed two families of foxes. Seeing this, I researched the probability of  red fox families sharing residence and was surprised to learn that it is a regular occurrence.

The reason for suspecting a den site with double occupancy was there were nine kits running around that were clearly two different sizes.

It was nearly dusk when this pic was taken. The foxes were very active with play. This pic shows the dominance and which pup stands where in this pack.

This kit appears to be a little bigger

Jim