A Bit of Serenity
by Bruce Bley
Title
A Bit of Serenity
Artist
Bruce Bley
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
This photograph of a loon swimming on a lake was taken recently on a fishing trip to nothern Wisconsin. It did not seem to mind that I was sitting in the boat near it. It seemed as though it had no worries in the world.
The loon, the size of a large duck or small goose, resembles these birds in shape when swimming. Like ducks and geese but unlike coots (which are Rallidae) and grebes (Podicipedidae), the loon's toes are connected by webbing. The bird may be confused with cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae), not too distant relatives of divers and like them are heavy set birds whose bellies unlike those of ducks and geese are submerged when swimming. Flying loons resemble a plump goose with a seagull's wings, relatively small in proportion to the bulky body. The bird holds its head pointing slightly upwards during swimming, but less so than cormorants do. In flight the head droops more than in similar aquatic birds. Male and female loons have identical plumage. Plumage is largely patterned black-and-white in summer, with grey on the head and neck in some species. All have a white belly. This resembles many sea-ducks (Merginae) notably the smaller goldeneyes (Bucephala) but is distinct from most cormorants which rarely have white feathers, and if so usually as large rounded patches rather than delicate patterns. All species of divers have a spear-shaped bill.
Males are larger on average, but relative size is only apparent when the male and female are together.
In winter plumage is dark gray above, with some indistinct lighter mottling on the wings, and a white chin, throat and underside. The species can then be distinguished by certain features, such as size and color of head, neck, back and bill, but often reliable identification of wintering divers is difficult even for experts particularly as the smaller immature birds look similar to winter-plumage adults, making size an unreliable means of identification.[2]
I hope you have enjoyed this photograph and will share it with others. You can see more of my work on my homepage. Thank you for visiting and please come back as I add to the various galleries.
Uploaded
June 16th, 2013
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Viewed 547 Times - Last Visitor from Cambridge, MA on 04/20/2024 at 8:57 AM
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Comments (17)
Bruce Bley
Digital designs, I want to thank you for the feature in the group "FAA Portraits - Birds". I sincerely appreciate the honor.
Bruce Bley
Surreal Photomanipulation, Thank you for the feature in the group "Art for Home and Buisness". I sincerely appreciate the honor.
Bruce Bley
Miroslava, I am grateful for the feature in the group "KINGDOM Animalia". Thank you so much.
Bruce Bley
Lois, Thank you so much for the feature in the group "The Splendor Of Summer - Photography". I sincerely appreciate the honor.
Bruce Bley
Jannice, Thank you so much for the feature in the group "All Art Welcome". I sincerely appreciate the honor.
Bruce Bley
Nader, Thank you so much for the feature in the group "Exploration Photography". I appreciate the honor.
Don Columbus
Congratulations Bruce, your work is Featured in "A Birding Group - Wings" I invite you to place it in the group's "2017 Featured Image Archive" Discussion!! L/Tweet
Bruce Bley replied:
Don, Thank you so much for the feature in the group "A Birding Group - Wings". I sincerely appreciate it.
Nicola Fiscarelli
Hi Bruce, love your photographic bird collection.
Bruce Bley replied:
Thank you for the wonderful comment and your visit today. I hope you will come back often,
Terri Waters
Marvelous capture (L3)
Bruce Bley replied:
I am so glad you enjoyed this photograph, Terri. I want to thank you also for your Like.
Kym Backland
WONDERFUL! I've always wanted to get a photo of a LOON! Not yet! Yours is great! Nice close up! Great work as always Bruce.. I hope you are well.. FV
Bruce Bley replied:
Thank you for the nice compliment, Kym. I hope you get a chance to capture a photograph of this beautiful bird. This is my best so far.