I tried loading this with the EXIF data but was unable. Got a message about something on this end stopping it. So, I copied/embedded the entire image from my smugmug site.
Both images came from my Z8 and 200-500. I like this camera a lot.
The is a mother loon who is staying with her chick that is overdue to fly from its natal basin. It takes about 90 days to develop a chick to the point where it can fly. This chick hatched July 4 and these images were taken on October 10. Dad left a few weeks ago, having done his duties. No telling how long the chick will decide to stay or if it can even fly yet. On this day I did not see it try to fly. Rarely, a chick that stays too long can then find it impossible to get off the basin. I've watched many of them take to flight..... I think it's safe to say that a loon needs at least 200 yards of open water to become airborne (personal observation). I'm not concerned yet. It's being watched.
