The Heart of the Lake: Celebrating Our Looncam Community

The 2026 nesting season on LPC’s LoonCam 2 was a rollercoaster of profound joys and heartbreaking losses. Through it all, the Looncam chat remained a place of warmth, education, and unwavering support.   We want to take a moment to shine a spotlight on some of the most respected and dedicated chatters who made this season so special.

Thank you to these wonderful individuals, and to everyone in the chat, for your camaraderie, your empathy, and your shared love of the loons. We look forward to seeing you all again next year!  Here is a short shoutout to the top 45 chatters.

Debra (@debrab8109) Affectionately dubbed the “Timestamp Wiz” by her peers, Debra is a constant, welcoming presence who patiently answers questions for newcomers. Her dedication is unmatched, often staying up through the darkest hours of the night to ensure no wail, egg roll, or predator visit goes undocumented.

EdamameBean (@EdamameBean) Bean brings a perfect blend of meticulous observation and much-needed levity to the chat room. Whether she is carefully calculating the exact 60-hour incubation windows for the next egg or cracking jokes about the loons building a “privacy curtain,” her contributions always enrich the viewing experience.

Gail (@GailMNLakeGal) Watching faithfully all the way from Minnesota, Gail is known for her boundless optimism and excellent note-taking. She provides detailed timestamps and acts as a steadfast cheerleader for the loons, bringing a warm, supportive energy to the community every time she logs on.

Tailfeather (@tailfeather6317) A seasoned veteran watcher, Tailfeather freely shares her deep understanding of loon biology and behavior with the chat. She is always eager to educate the community on the nuances of incubation cycles, mating habits, and complex loon vocalizations.

Clare (@claremc2130) Tuning in across the Atlantic from Ireland, Clare provides crucial overnight coverage when most local viewers are fast asleep. Her vigilant timestamps during the early dawn hours ensure the community never misses a moment of the action.

Sue (@suer7734) Serving as the chat’s resident “Loon Ranger,” Sue provides invaluable, on-the-water updates directly from her kayak. Her real-time reports on the loons’ whereabouts and her dedication to modeling safe boating around the nesting territory make her a vital protector of our beloved birds.

GailO (@GailO-x1f) A warm and constant presence, GailO always greets the community with kindness and was an enthusiastic participant in the community’s hatch-time guessing contest.

Jean (@jeanrich8037) A dedicated overnight watcher, Jean kept the chat lively during the wee hours while working on intricate wooden puzzles and proudly wearing her lucky loon earrings for the pip watch.

Mrs. Shiver (@MRSSHIVERR) With a keen eye for detail, she is excellent at spotting subtle nest activity and quickly alerting the chat to approaching predators like the Great Blue Heron.

Lucky (@luckyjones1622) A vital founding member of the “night owl club,” Lucky provided excellent overnight timestamps and shared the community’s emotional highs and lows with deep empathy.

TucsonMacBanshee (@TucsonMacBanshee) A wealth of knowledge who frequently shares fascinating insights about local loon censuses, loon behavior, and the Loon Preservation Committee’s activities.

Rick (@rickmacm) Rick brings much-needed levity to tense moments, offering hilarious observations like calling a Great Blue Heron a “swamp cobra” or joking about slipping the loon Dad five bucks to hurry up the hatch.

Luvs-Chickadees (@Luvs-Chickadees) Using her Merlin Bird App, she expertly identifies the beautiful background bird choruses, helping the chat appreciate the hidden songs of Veerys, Swamp Sparrows, and Swainson’s Thrushes.

Beatrice (@beatricel-ch) Checking in faithfully despite her busy schedule, Beatrice adds a wonderful international charm and steadfast optimism to the group.

603born (@603born) A proud New Hampshire local, 603born consistently shares encouraging news about successful loon hatches on other nearby lakes to keep the community’s spirits high.

jdullo (@jdullo218) A constant, friendly presence in the chat who is always quick to offer a warm greeting, praise the camera operator’s zooms, and enthusiastically join in the fun of the hatch-time guessing contest.

Fin (@finbladez) Fin brings boundless enthusiasm and New England pride to the chatroom. Fin is famously credited with “manifesting” the surprise fifth egg and always keeps the community’s energy high with celebratory cheers.

Judy (@judygilbert9628) Highly observant and inquisitive, Judy consistently enriches the chat by asking excellent biology questions and looking up loon behaviors to share with the group.

Vyrani (@Vyrani393) A wonderful, dedicated community member who is visually impaired but deeply enjoys listening to the stream’s relaxing audio and following the loon family’s journey through the chat’s vivid descriptions.

Shep (@shepqherd5803) Known as the chat’s resident comedian and nickname creator (like “Dot” and “Grumpy”), Shep keeps everyone entertained with his quirky puns and dependable early morning coffee greetings.

Merry (@merryforest2619) A warm and polite observer who uses her keen ears to pick out and identify the beautiful background bird choruses, from chatty barred owls to flocks of speedy bank swallows.

Kerry (@KerryKestrowl) A self-described “new bee loon lover” who is eager to learn, deeply appreciative of the LPC’s conservation work, and always ready with a kind word for her fellow chatters.

MSGS (@MSGS44) After exploring many different wildlife streams, MSGS found a home at Looncam 2 because of the amazing video quality and quickly became a cherished regular who keeps the mood light and supportive.

Aisle5 (@Aisle5-jdy) Highly engaged and deeply curious about the loons’ history, she even brought her enthusiasm into the real world by going on an LPC Loon Cruise and sharing her amazing experience with the chat.

Bill (@bpuddster) The generous and beloved organizer of the community’s hatch-time guessing contest, who added an extra layer of excitement to “pip watch” by offering a loon mug to the closest guesser.

Carr (@CarrM74) Carr checks in faithfully during lunch breaks and beautifully suggested the name “Hope” for the chick after all the challenges the resilient parents had endured.

Gavia (@GaviaImmer) Fittingly named after the Common Loon’s scientific classification, Gavia finds deep peace in the lake’s evening sounds, noting they are better than even the loveliest Baroque music.

LC (@loonychick822) A highly active and cheerful presence who shares a deep love for the loons and keeps the chat lively with good humor and helpful observations.

Beverly (@beverlyd1199) A wonderful, consistent observer who is always quick to express gratitude to the camera operator and send positive wishes to the loon family.

Cathy (@cathyl4566) Cathy enjoys the nostalgic nighttime sounds of the lake—like peepers and loon wails—which remind her of beautiful cottage memories with her husband.

Faith (@Faith-Grace-w4u) Faith brings immense empathy to the community, frequently offering prayers and heartfelt support for the resilient loon mama during stressful moments.

Violet (@violetsoldier133) Possessing an incredibly sharp eye, Violet miraculously spotted that the loon egg was still visible and seemingly intact right after the chaotic otter invasion.

Dawn (@dawnbirdnerd) A dedicated watcher who tunes in rain, fog, or shine, and stays closely connected to the community through the Loon Preservation Committee’s mailing list updates.

17cmMittlererMinenwerfer (@17cmMittlererMinenwerfer) Always eager to learn, this inquisitive chatter asks excellent questions about loon behaviors and greatly appreciates the scenic sunset views.

Mindy (@mindytillapaugh3465) Highly sympathetic to the loons’ struggles, Mindy frequently checks in to gauge the community’s hopes for a successful hatch after a tough season.

Lorraine (@lorrainekane6291) A self-described “newbie” who eagerly absorbs loon facts from veteran watchers, asking insightful questions about incubation habits and predator threats.

Denise (@Denise1310_) Denise provides fantastic timestamps of wildlife interactions, like brief altercations between loons and beavers, and deeply appreciates the peaceful lake views.

Donna (@donnadec2606) A dedicated timestamper who endearingly nicknamed the female loon “Domino” after the dots on her leg bands.

Luke (@lukestorm3432) Luke shares fascinating personal observations about loons from his own experiences, adding valuable context to rare behaviors like female loons yodeling.

Stef (@Stefrnheals) A newer loon fan who has quickly fallen in love with the birds, marveling at the diverse wildlife on the lake and cheering the parents on.

RainHeart (@RainHeart_60) The chat’s resident amphibian expert, who beautifully explained that the “plucked banjo string” sounds on the lake belong to male Green Frogs.

Jessica (@jessicab3370) An incredibly supportive cheerleader for the loon parents who finds comfort in all the lake’s wildlife, even hoping the duck family might enjoy the empty nest.

Christine (@christinemills4746) A third-year watcher who cherishes the chat’s camaraderie and regularly contributes fun observations, weather updates, and gratitude for the community.

Stabledragon (@Stabledragon) Quick to identify nocturnal wildlife, this observant chatter was among the first to realize it was otters playfully wreaking havoc on the raft.

Glasssoldier133 (@Glasssoldier133) Brings a wonderful perspective to the stream by reminding everyone to appreciate the beautiful scenery and special scenic treats even when the loons are off-camera.