Julie L. Brown Photography
Common Loon in threat display
Posted by Julie L. Brown (Indianapolis, Indiana, United States) on 24 May 2013 in Animal & Insect and Portfolio.
Fort Clinch State Park
Amelia Island, Florida 12-28-12
Florida, December 2012 series Click here to see a larger version of this image.
The man did not heed the alarm displayed by the loon as seen in the two images I posted yesterday. The aggressive behavior here was probably the last defense the loon had to protect itself. I can only imagine how much effort this took. I cropped this image about 30%.
The Common Loon (Gavia immer), is a large, diving water bird. As you can see in this image, it's legs are set very far back on a long body. "In summer, adults have a black head and bill, a black-and-white spotted back, and a white breast. From September to March, adults are plain gray on the back and head with a white throat. The bill also fades to gray. Juveniles look similar, but with more pronounced scalloping on the back." As others have pointed out, this individual looks to be a juvenile. The jagged neck markings and white around the eye are good field marks to support my speculation. Click here to see a chart comparing field marks.
NEW POST: Spring Bird Migration in Indiana Part One ON MY WORDPRESS BLOG indybirdphotographer.com
For species profiles, location reports, random nature notes, as well as links to my favorite photographers, nature bloggers, and conservation websites.
I am also a contributor to the multi-author blog "Focusing On Wildlife" . Click here for links to my articles.
NEW POST: Spring Bird Migration in Indiana Part One ON MY WORDPRESS BLOG indybirdphotographer.com
For species profiles, location reports, random nature notes, as well as links to my favorite photographers, nature bloggers, and conservation websites.
I am also a contributor to the multi-author blog "Focusing On Wildlife" . Click here for links to my articles.
This photoblog is my nature journal and travelogue. Many of my wildlife images were made in environments impacted by humans. My goal is to feature each animal in a way that allows the viewer to sense the essence of its life in the wild. The purpose of the accompanying narratives is to enhance awareness and appreciation of our natural world, as well as to inspire everyone to protect and care for it.
To see my spotlight images, click here .
For a slide show of birds photographed in Indiana, click here .
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This image has been featured in 1 Remix collection.