Adult loon with two two-month old juveniles
Gavia immer
It is now mid-August on Damariscotta Lake and the two chicks have grown to nearly the length of an adult. They are still not very proficient at finding their own food so they continue to rely on the adults to feed them. At this point in their growth they are not nearly so vulnerable to predators and are llkely to survive into the second year. However, they will first have to fly out of the lake (late November, usually) to salt water for the winter.