For the Birds

By Alex Kuffner

FALL RIVER–Caught in the beam of the spotlight, the loons appear out of the darkness as spectral shapes on the silvery water. The birds barely move as the boat eases among them. This close, the two adults seem larger than expected and stronger, with taut, torpedo-shaped bodies. They have a reptilian aspect, with sleek, iridescent black heads set atop serpentine necks. Their chick looks like a plush toy.

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