Spring is bursting out

Look at the difference in the shore line in 3 1/2 weeks: the house is obscured, the leaves are emerging in many colors, their seeds dropping everywhere. We took a short boat ride this evening. It's chilly when the sun goes down. No sign of the loons. I've been here since Saturday night: have not heard nor seen a loon. I've been reading the loon books but none of them discusses a long silence during mating season. They are silent in the winter when they are on the ocean but their voices are so prominent during the summer. I wonder what is going on.

Black ducks?

While I was searching the lake for the loons, this pair of birds came into view. They have white faces on long black necks perched on dark gray bodies. Using the bird books I have, I can't figure out what they are. I'll keep looking.
The loons were elusive this morning but at last I sighted them, bobbing around in the water. It's been a short stay at the lake for us between trips to New York and California.