Return to Sawyer Lake?

 

To see a young eagle
 swoop down from the nest...

                                                                                                                     

We had high expectations for eagle watching at Sawyer Lake in Wisconsin and were not disappointed. We sighted the baby on our first afternoon outing after carefully scanning the tree line for a view of the nest. Pucky, as he became known to us, was well camouflaged but flew down to greet us and spread his young wings, a preview of the adult majesty to come. 

then spread his wings before us

To spy a tiny down-covered loon
 riding on its mother's back...

then marvel as the still tiny chick swims alongside its
parents, nourished and protected by their constant
attention

Even more fascinating than eagle watching was observing the loons. Kate saw the nesting loons towards the end of the June. Susan took the photo of the one week old loon riding piggyback and I photographed the loons one week later swimming comfortably together.

I fell in love with loons about 20 years ago in Minnesota on a lake even further north than Sawyer. Similar to a duck, the loon with its velvety black head, pensive red eyes, necklace of white and striking body markings is more elegant and exotic in appearance.  The loon's haunting high-pitched yodel sounds more like an native American flute than a bird.  

By three months old, Tuney will look like his parents, sound like his parents and be totally self-sufficient. As autumn approaches, adults migrate to  coastal marine lakes ahead of their offspring. It's unclear from what I've read if Tuney will join his parents or go elsewhere. It does say that the immature loons stay in their winter habitat for a few years. 

"In some future spring, the bird that began life as a fluffy chick bobbing on the water will return as an elegant adult to the northern lakes. With eerie wails and wild tremolos, its voice will echo across the water, and once more the loon will claim its territory—and our hearts—as the spirit of the north." 

 --Marie Read