The following photo is of the loon tagged B4 on Rollins Pond in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. I think this year was the first year I have been on this pond, but decided to return to it a few times for a few reasons.
Rollins Pond Loon
The number one reason I went back to this pond on this trip was loons were there. Secondly, although this pond does allow motor boats, I did not see any the trips I was there, only kayaks. Thirdly, it does connect to other nearby bodies of water, some of which I have been on in the years past as well as on this trip. Some of these include Floodwood Pond, Fish Creek Ponds, Square Pond, Little Square Pond, Copperas Pond, Follensby Clear Pond, etc. Through Fish Creek Pond you can paddle into Upper Saranac Lake. Incidentally, this pond has what looks like a very nice DEC state run campground with a lot of spots that have water access, perfect if you want to kayak. This may make another reason to return in the future.
Rollins Pond Loon – tagged B4
I did notify the Adirondack Loon Center with pictures of this loon with its tag that it was alive and well and was sighted in Rollins Pond. If you see a tagged loon in New York notify the Adirondack Loon Center. If you see a loon in winter further south, do the same. They like to track where these loons are year to year and since some loons visit other ponds daily, they like to know that as well. Happy Sunday!
Just another loon picture from earlier in the summer. I am really busy at work, but hope to get somewhere on an upcoming holiday if it works out time-wise and health-wise.
Loon from the St. Regis Lakes in the Adirondack Mountains of New York.
Enjoy these last days of summer. Fall is closing in.
“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.”
Winston Churchill
The colour of the water appears to change in minutes when out kayaking on a lake. A lot of things come into play such as cloud cover, sunlight, time of day, what is nearby on land will all affect how the colour of the water appears. If you wait around you just may get to see the water appear to be different hue.
This is a loon from Upper St. Regis in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. In other pictures that day, the water appeared green and different shades of blue etc. Change sometimes is good.
from the song Stuck in the Middle With You written by Joe Egan and Gerry Rafferty and performed by Stealer’s Wheel
These Adirondack loons were pausing for passing planes and eagles as well as motor boat and jet ski action on the lake. I am sure the mom was teaching the baby about safely crossing the lake. The baby should be well prepared for life. Other things I saw the mom do this trip were attempt some fish hand offs in the water instead of above water, and having the baby attempt to fish in the buoyed area of the lake that boaters avoid due to boulders near the water’s surface.
We have had a cooler than normal wet summer. It has rained a little to a good amount most days. Get out and dodge those storms. Enjoy what you can.
Stuck in the Middle With You performed by the Steeler’s Wheel
What college campus has several hiking trails and ponds open to the public? Paul Smith’s College in the Adirondack Mountains does. Black Pond is on an area of land controlled by Paul Smith’s College. The public is able to access the trails to hike and the ponds to kayak or canoe with no cost.
Black Pond’s parking lot can be accessed off Keese Mills Road in Paul Smiths, NY. It is a small lot that holds maybe 6 cars.
Close to the parking lot is the boat launch. It is more for canoes as the dock is higher off the water. It is a little tricky for kayaks. There is an area next to the dock you can step in the water with a depth of about 1 1/2 to 2 feet next to shore that is rocky on the bottom. When I say rocky some of the rocks are big, so be careful.
The area to paddle from the dock to the lean-to on the pond is narrow. I count this as a passageway and not the pond.
Above is the entrance to the larger portion of the pond. The lean- to will be on the left of the entrance.
This is at the end of the entrance to the pond.
Lean-to
There are two lean-tos along the trail/lake. This is the first one near the entrance. You have to reserve them. They provide the firewood and toilet paper. There is a nearby privy/ outhouse. I don’t think any other sites in the ADK along lakes provide toilet paper and firewood .
They leave firewood in the lean-to so it stays dry. Since it rains in a short thunderstorm almost daily, that is a good practice.As you can see you get a good view of the pond from the lean-to. There is a fire-pit in front of it and the water is shallow in that area and you are able to get out of your boat there.Contact information to reserve the lean-to.
Pond
The pond does get some wind, but I found it less windy than larger nearby ponds. This pond did not appear to have access to other bodies of water.
The water under this bridge appears to go to Little Black Pond. The bridge is too low to go under and too high to get on from a kayak. There was no access point on shore to the trail.Lone tree on an island.
Due to downed trees I did not see an access point on the north side of the pond to Long Pond. I don’t know if it was normally able to be accessed via kayak.
Wildlife
Wildlife is always a bonus for me. This pond had loons. There were ducks on the narrow part near the boat launch that were camera shy. They may have been black ducks. Adult loons may have one main pond, but will travel to other nearby ponds and lakes to socialise with other loons and fish. I believe I also saw a kingfisher.
This is a pond I would return to. I would bring a picnic lunch and bug spray. I got bit by mosquitos on land when hiking the trail, but not while kayaking. The lean-to was unoccupied and the area has a picnic table. It is also in close proximity to other larger bodies of water if you are trying to go to more than one body of water in the same day. If you are in the area and are looking for a shorter paddle, kayak or canoe Black Pond.
I find it fun watching loons. This parent had babysitting duty while the other parent was at another section of the lake in the Adirondack Mountains.
The loon below is power napping. It ate a few fish in the middle of the lake and then it then swam to the side of the lake with the parent. The parent kept watch while the baby napped.
The parent needs to keep watch. After I started kayaking away, the parent started giving a distressed call. I looked up and the eagle circled and landed in a tree nearby. Then it decided to fly off to a tree on the opposite side of the lake. On my few trips to the lake I have now seen the eagle multiple times either chase an adult loon flying or circle and get close to the baby and parent causing the parent to go into alert mode. I hope these loons make it through their time at the lake without the eagles getting one of them.
I made almost a week long trip to the Adirondack Mountains in New York. I am not kayaking as far as I did last year. Luckily I do not have to go far to see loons on the lakes I visited. All the pictures below are from one lake. These were over two days. Some were in the evening and others during the morning.
Parent cut off a piece to give the baby.Spitting out waterPatiently waiting for someone to bring it a fish.Riding the waves.
Slow down and enjoy nature. Sometimes you do not have to go as far as you think.
Sometimes you lucky out with sunlight, and sometimes you don’t. One this morning after the fog lifted you could witness some great colours on the water. These are just two of many I got that morning.
What is on or near the shore affects what colours you see reflected on the water’s surface. It could be boats, boat covers, kayaks, SUPs, etc. Also if the sun happens to be behind your back or at an angle can affect how you see the colours.
Articles on our near shore can add to the photo in ways you may not have originally expected. Get out and enjoy the summer between the rain. If your weather is like New York, we have downpours almost everyday.
I have had loons swim under my kayak before. This time a mother loon called to her mate. The mate came swimming back to watch the baby loon. The mother promptly went under water and popped up above water on the other side of my kayak. In its mouth was a big fish.
She then went under the water and I could locate her by the light coloured fish she had in her mouth going under my kayak. She then popped up on the side she was originally on, but close to my kayak. I thought for sure she was going to share it with her mate. Nope! I can’t believe she ate the whole thing herself!
Was she showing up her mate by catching a big one so fast? Was she showing off to me? Nature is better than TV. Loons are pretty cool birds. As always keep your distance. If they approach you, let it be on their terms.
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