The bird news is that the two loon families seem to be doing well. The family that hangs out near the Sister Islands with their one chick seem to be feeding it well and now it is diving for food on its own. After a dive, it is sometimes necessary to organize one’s feathers so they stretch their wings.
Oh, and the chick also does it even though their feathers aren’t quite full grown…..
The “foot waggle” is also something done by adults but the chick does it, too. It is amazing how large that webbed foot seems to be compared to the not full grown loon but loons are amazing swimmers so it is understandable…..
The loon family that hangs out along Townsend Shore also seems to be doing well and both the chicks are diving for half a minute or more.
But other birds are on the lake, the ring billed gulls are here and are often seen on the rocks near Cate Island.
But some other birds, though much smaller, are also active along the shore. The Spotted Sandpipers look for bugs on rocks as well as the sandy beaches. One feature that distinguishes them is that they bob their tails almost constantly.
There are a few red leaves along the shore, mostly the swamp maples that put leaves on early and then change earlier than other trees. It is now September so other trees will follow.