Happy New Year

Looking back on 2009.... Highlights are great times with family and friends. Another wonderful memory was my good fortune of participating in a loon survey with the BioDiversity Research Institute in July, and watching the loon chicks grow on No Name Pond through the summer.

My hopes for the new year are good health, happiness, and creative dreams for my my family and friends. And for me? Working on a loon book would be grand!

Farewell to Loons

September. The nights are cooler now, and the leaves are beginning to change. I visited No Name Pond one last time and waved good-bye to the loon family. We watched the chicks grow from tiny fluff balls in June, to nearly ready to fly adolescents. I worked on a picture book about them while listening to the parents call across the lake to each other in that incredible, haunting sound. The book is taking shape--not ready to go out as a proposal to a publisher just yet.

So-- here's the loon family, taken last week, and one of the chicks doing a little foot waggle. And a "farewell to summer" photo of the lake. If you missed my earlier post about loons, be sure to check out the wonderful work being done by the BioDiversity Research Institute in Gorham, Maine.

Swooning for Loons

What an incredible morning! I was a lucky passenger on a loon observation field excursion conducted by the Biodiversity Research Institute. The mission of this wonderful organization is to "assess ecological health through collaborative research, and to use scientific findings to advance environmental awareness and inform decision makers." (visit their site by clicking on their name here and see all of the amazing work they do!)

My friend and fellow nature enthusiast, Nancy Craig, and I met up with the Executive Director and Senior Scientist, David Evers, Ph.D., Business Manager and Development Director (and boat captain), Lee Attix, and Consultant Paige Holmes. We had been invited to accompany them on their loon survey of a Maine lake about a half-hour north of my home. This lake, a busy vacation area, is home to at least five nesting pairs, and several "rogue" loons. On our excursion this morning we were able to see many of the loons with their chicks, and to also check three nest sites. Dave and Lee offered a wealth of fascinating information about these amazing birds. You can probably guess that I am very eager to work on a loon picture book! 

Bottom photo, L to R: Paige, Nancy, Lee & Dave. Photo above has female feeding fish to chick!