A Season with Loons S3 E3 The Finale!
This is the season finale for my third season photographing loon families in Northern New England (which is the states of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine). After numerous failures earlier that spring and summer, I finally have a pair of loons that has 2 chicks. I follow the family around and hope that the chicks can fledge before freeze up due to their late hatch. The conditions range from rainy days to freezing mornings in mid-October but as always days of beauty, peace, and reflection.
To view a photo gallery from this project on my website https://www.jwelchphoto.com/gallery.html
My website www.jwelchphoto.com
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*Important: Notes on ethically observing and photographing loons* I photographed this season using either a 600mm or 800mm equivalent focal length, often cropping much further in post- production, and abided by ethical guidelines. You should not simply paddle right up to loons. Not all loons will be tolerant of humans and learn to read their behavioral signals. The loons in my films are tolerant. Please educate yourself on loon behavior and the ethics of observing loons before attempting to observe them in the wild. Some guidelines can be found here. In summary, loons have various state and federal protections, and harassing them can be a criminal offense, carrying fines and even jail time. You will be watched on lakes by other boaters and homeowners on developed lakes. While loons are on the nest, they are particularly vulnerable to human disturbance, including kayakers and photographers. I personally chose not to even photograph them at this time, and if you must, keep your visit very brief and from a far distance. Once the chicks have hatched, loon’s tolerance for human presence will vary from individual to individual. Do disrupt their ability to hunt and feed the chicks. General guidelines for how far to stay from them is 100 feet to 100 yards. However, it is allowable for loons to swim up to you on their own (though you must be mindful that you are not drifting into them), which is what happened in some of the close-up footage and photos as two of my loon pairs were very tolerant.