Nesting Common Loon

A special "Thank You" to a Flickr friend Matt for putting us on this nest. When we arrived one of them was sitting and sitting and sitting. Fun but pretty much the same pose time and time again. I played with shutter speeds etc. RA got bored so headed down the lake a couple hundred yards and found some Mallards and Geese. I hung around waiting for something to happen. 30 minutes or so I couldnt see RA so headed her direction to make sure all was well. I got about 50 yards from her and the ducks and geese all took off raising cane. I looked up and sure enough a Bald Eagle was coming down the lake. The other Loon was well out on the lake and he started sounding off as the eagle came. The eagle took a dip at the loon but poof and it was under water. Then the bird at the nest started sounding off. I was 150 yards or so from where I could see the nest. Tripod over the shoulder and running as fast as I could go back to where I could see fearing that the eagle was in the nest eating the eggs. Yes they do that. I got there fairly quickly for an old guy. The loon was off the nest but the eagle wasnt. Of course I started shooting fast. The nest bird had come about a third closer. As I was shooting I realized RA was shooting a bit more down the lake. Ah Ha the other loon was coming. I shot a few more and (get ready for this) I pulled my 7D off the lens and put RA's camera on and lowered the pod so she could see. She shot a bunch in just a couple minutes.

The two loons traded jobs and a fresh belly went on the eggs and the sitter went fishing. Great Fun we had.

Thanks Again Matt

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Done