August 7, 2011

There was a lot of activity on Lake Wicwas this weekend - this time people activity.  I'm sure it was due to everyone wanting to be here for the Lake Wicwas Association annual meeting!  I was very disapointed to miss it, as I heard Jeff Schloss was an excellent speaker with lots of good ideas about how to design waterfront property to help protect the lake's water quality.   But Dustin and I were up at Franconia Notch participating in the Top Notch Triathlon.  You can't pick dates for triathlons, and we put in too much training to miss it!

After the mosquitoes were getting rather scarce with the hot dry weather lately, they have made a comeback this week due to the rain.  But it was actually nice to have a little break from all the heat. 

As our new loon grows bigger, the family is getting more comfortable swimming around the lake, and is much more visible now.  It also appears more vulnerable to powerboats, so being attentive is important!

They still tend to keep one adult apart from the other parent and the chick so it can create a diversion when needed.  But when the distant parent finds a small fish, junior makes a fast beeline across the open water to it to get its meal.  So, although the chick is diving now, it's still getting help from its parents.

There is also another large bird that has taken up residence on the lake - an osprey!  I've seen it a couple of times this week, although unless I can find it from the water, I won't be able to get a good picture.  Both times I've only seen it because it gave itself away.  As I walked near the lake it gave out a very clear, distinguishing call - click this link to hear it.  Following the sound I easily found it, but couldn't get a decent picture:  osprey perch on a branch out over the water, waiting for an unsuspecting fish to swim by, at which point the bird dives right into the lake to catch it.  If you hear a giant crash into the water in the middle of a summer day, that's probably what it is!  (Someone sent me this link showing an osprey doing its thing - the first scene is the same way an eagle takes a fish, but the others show how only the osprey dives right into the water - truly amazing pictures!)

By the way, blueberry season is still in play, but it's nearing the end.  Get 'em now before they're gone for another long eleven months.