We'll start with the good news: Tardy continues to thrive and grow. I saw Tardy with dad one morning, and this time it was mom who was fishing in the rain.
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| Tardy with dad at 17 days |
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| Tardy surrounded by diamonds of rain |
Another day Amy Wilson caught Tardy hitching a ride on one of the parents.
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| Hitching a ride. Photo by Amy Wilson |
And also a great shot of Tardy stretching those small, but growing wings.
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| Photo by Amy Wilson |
Think those wings will be large enough to fly to the Atlantic Ocean in November?
It takes some brave parents to raise a loon chick. I've had several reports of eagles soaring overhead, drooling over this tasty delicacy floating right out in the open; only diligent protection by the parents keep them from attacking. Amy experienced one of these moments, and caught these great pictures:
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| An immature eagle declines to attack with two large loons standing guard. Photo by Amy Wilson |
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| Keeping an eye on the sky. Photo by Amy Wilson |
Of all the loon pictures I've seen, I don't ever recall seeing one where a loon is looking up - thanks Amy for sharing these beautiful photos!
I've seen a lot Great Blue Heron lately as well, fishing, flying, or just contemplating life.
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| Resting in a pine tree - doesn't this one look like one old guy? |
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| Darn mosquito got my chin |
This next one appears to be a juvenile heron - perhaps it was one of the chicks in the
Arbutus Hill Rookery back in June.
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| One the year's newbies |
Now for the sad news: one of the only, and perhaps the last, of the Black Tupelo (Blackgum) trees on the shores of Lake Wicwas has become a victim of the ever-growing beaver population.
The Lakes Region is at the northern edge of the range for blackgum so they are not common here, and being such beautiful trees - especially in the fall when they turn bright crimson - it's sad to see this go.
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| The same tree, October 2014. The smaller tupelo to the right, behind the dead pine, was taken down last year |
Even if the beavers don't come back to finish the job it has probably lost too much of its bark to survive. It is already turning red as it declines in strength.
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| Already fading to red |
But we'll end back on a happy note, with another beautiful tree that brightened our world back
in May with its large white flowers. The Hobblebush Viburnum is now displaying contrasting polka dots of intense red and black all along the edges of trails and roads throughout the Lakes Region.
Nature is a world of give and take. I guess I'll take what it gives me.
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