A lone Loon on the River
The entire six days that I was in Kennebunk I saw one lone loon on the Kennebunk River. I am assuming it was the same one - but who knows. This loon is a Common Loon in his or her full winter plumage… all shades of white and black - very different than their striking summer plumage. A loon is always stunning to see and I was thrilled to see this one meandering up and down the stretch of river that I was on.
The following photos are all from Christmas Eve day. It was a very gray and brutally cold day with snow off and on - I didn’t venture far. I decided to try and capture some shots of this majestic bird while it was snowing. I never heard its hauntingly beautiful call but in my mind I could hear it. The section of the river I was on is at a narrow point so I was able to get closer shots than are often possible when loons are out on a lake in their summertime habitat.
Loons are one of our birds species on the planet… that alone gives me chills when I am fortunate enough to be in their presence. According to the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation group “modern loons have been found in the fossil record as early as - 35 million years ago. Their relatives - can be traced back to the Late Cretaceous period (65 million years ago).”
I hope that you will enjoy sitting back and marveling at this majestic bird moving by me while the snow quietly fell all around us…
Looking right at me… you know how much I love when that happens… so special…
The wind really started to pick up - wow, was it cold!
I happened to look a little further down the river to see this gull hunkered down.
Came by me again…
He (I’ll go with he) then swam a little further down the river ….
Starting to go through a routine I have seen many times during the summer… primping and getting each feather just right. Often, but not always, it will be the beginning of them getting ready to take flight.
I absolutely love this position…. head and neck way back on its back and looking to the side while the bill is used to preen their feathers
He went by me one more time back up the river and out of my view… and maybe flew off I don’t know. It was more than time for me to go warm up!