Loon Nests and Water Levels

It was a dry May, barely over an inch of rain when we would normally have expected over four inches. The nesting loon is perched on a high throne above the waterline. It takes a bit of effort for a bird that can’t walk to crawl up the side of the nest.

Fluctuating water levels are a common cause of loon nest failure, usually because of flooding but sometimes because the nest becomes inaccessible to the loons. See this video, taken by photographer and LPC supporter John Rockwood, for an example of an extreme overland trek for a loon to reach the nest.

The good news is, because this nest is on a hummock in the lake, the nest bowl will never be more than a few feet from the water and now we have a good buffer in case June is a rainy month.