Loon pix.

Happen to be at the right place at the right time. Very foggy and late in the day do the light was a little marginal but managed a couple.
Nothing real spetacular except that it is very rare to get this close to one.

This guy lives in the local harbor and is fed by the local fishermen so has become more at ease with humans.



a couple of more here.

http://www.pbase.com/pheggos/spring05

Mike

Wow Mike, that is close (or else someone won the lottery and grabbed the 300-800 zoom).

I loved fishing around loons as a kid---watching them swim in one direction and then dive and pop back up in completely unexpected places was always cool...

--Jim--

Hi Mike

Nice shot. This is a Great Northern Diver, an american bird and very rare to get so close to. It breeds here in Iceland too, the only European contry it can be found. So I really liked this one, but I probably will not be able to get so close too.
Halldor.

Mike Gerstner said:

Happen to be at the right place at the right time. Very foggy and
late in the day do the light was a little marginal but managed a
couple.
Nothing real spetacular except that it is very rare to get this
close to one.
This guy lives in the local harbor and is fed by the local
fishermen so has become more at ease with humans.



a couple of more here.

http://www.pbase.com/pheggos/spring05

Mike

Click to expand...

--
http://www.pbase.com/halldore/

Hello Haldor....

I didn't know that there were loons elsewhere.

I was very fortunate to get the shots. I have seen many at other locations but they always dive if you get within 100 feet.

thanks, Mike

Halldor Eiriksson said:

Hi Mike
Nice shot. This is a Great Northern Diver, an american bird and
very rare to get so close to. It breeds here in Iceland too, the
only European contry it can be found. So I really liked this one,
but I probably will not be able to get so close too.
Halldor.

Click to expand...

Hi Jim........

wish I had won the lottery....I never remember to buy the tickets.

One of those opportunistic moments. I do a lot of kayaking in the summmer and there are a couple of pair that hang out near the outer islands and we're constantly facinated by their diving and surfacing antics.
Great way to spend an afternoon.

thanks, mike

JLK said:

Wow Mike, that is close (or else someone won the lottery and
grabbed the 300-800 zoom).

I loved fishing around loons as a kid---watching them swim in one
direction and then dive and pop back up in completely unexpected
places was always cool...

--Jim--

Click to expand...

Mike Gerstner said:

Hello Haldor....

I didn't know that there were loons elsewhere.
I was very fortunate to get the shots. I have seen many at other
locations but they always dive if you get within 100 feet.

thanks, Mike

Click to expand...

Yeah , one of secrets of taking great pictures of birds ( and other wildlife) is to find these individuals that do not fear humans.

A surpricing percentage of these stunning ( National Geografic style )pro- shots were actualy taken in game reserves and parks , of animals purpously "trained" to not fear humans in vehicles..

If you are a Pro wildlife photographer you can actualy book a shooting with ..let´s say a cheetah on a specific date...then the staff will take you to the animal ...waisting none of your precious time....

The rest of us have much better chances of getting some good shots in city- parks , and like in this case harbour- areas...

J. Michael said:

Halldor Eiriksson said:

Hi Mike
Nice shot. This is a Great Northern Diver, an american bird and
very rare to get so close to. It breeds here in Iceland too, the
only European contry it can be found. So I really liked this one,
but I probably will not be able to get so close too.
Halldor.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

--
Frits Thomsen
See my pictures at
http://www.pbase.com/yoicz

Why was I expecting this one?

http://www.pbase.com/sigmasd9/image/42380770

--
Laurence

There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.

http://www.pbase.com/lmatson/root
http://www.pbase.com/sigmasd9/root
http://www.pbase.com/cameras/sigma/sd10
http://www.pbase.com/cameras/sigma/sd9
http://www.beachbriss.com (eternal test site)

made me laugh out loud.

Mike

Laurence Matson said:

Why was I expecting this one?

http://www.pbase.com/sigmasd9/image/42380770

--
Laurence

There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.

http://www.pbase.com/lmatson/root
http://www.pbase.com/sigmasd9/root
http://www.pbase.com/cameras/sigma/sd10
http://www.pbase.com/cameras/sigma/sd9
http://www.beachbriss.com (eternal test site)

Click to expand...

Shouldn't the loon have a red eye? You didn't remove it did you?

that would be called "Loonies"

Laurence Matson said:

Why was I expecting this one?

http://www.pbase.com/sigmasd9/image/42380770

--
Laurence

There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.

http://www.pbase.com/lmatson/root
http://www.pbase.com/sigmasd9/root
http://www.pbase.com/cameras/sigma/sd10
http://www.pbase.com/cameras/sigma/sd9
http://www.beachbriss.com (eternal test site)

Click to expand...

--
Chunsum.

http://www.pbase.com/chunsum
http://www.pbase.com/sigmasd9
http://www.foveonx3.org

beetlebug62 said:

Shouldn't the loon have a red eye? You didn't remove it did you?

Click to expand...

Hi BBug.....

If you look closely you will notice an amber hue to the eye, and soon they will be red, especially if you get the right light reflection. Most people don't know this but the eyes change color with the seasons.

I found this:

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/www/critters/loon/833305268.html

cheers, Mike