Our Loon Cam #2 chick is off to a challenging start. Although it appears to be a healthy, energetic, strong swimmer, the family can’t seem to make it to the brooding area, which is about a quarter mile away. As of 9 pm last night, the loons have left the nesting cove numerous times, only […]
Now that the loon cam season is complete, we can review the events we witnessed over the past two months and see how they fit with the conventional wisdom of loon behavior and ecology. We think we know so much but we are constantly reminded that there is always more to learn. Here’s a few […]
Two eggs that didn’t make it and one chick that only lasted a few hours, and now today we have one more chance. The Loon Cam #2 chick hatched sometime around or before 12 noon. Mom kept it under her far-side wing for an hour or more, so we can’t determine a more precise time. […]
This morning the YouTube chatters were discussing humidity and air pressure and how they might affect a loon’s take-off length. It’s true that humidity affects air pressure and air pressure is one factor in determining the speed needed for a loon to get airborne, but there are other factors with greater influence. And while we’re […]
The pip was first seen at 4:09 pm. If all goes well, there should be a chick in the nest by daylight, tomorrow morning.
Seriously. There are city loons and country loons. I suppose we could even say there are suburbanite loons. If there is a waterbody big enough to land and take off on, has clear water, can provide enough fish and has a good nest site, then a loon pair is likely to show up sooner or […]
Let’s review the Loon Cam nesting results so far. On Cam #1, the loons lost one egg due to some frantic nest building in response to major rainfall and water level rise. Then we celebrated the hatching of one chick, only to watch an eagle carry it away before it had a chance to leave […]
Violent thunderstorms, snapping turtles, eagle attacks; all these are tough to witness while watching the Loon Cam. But if you want to raise your anxiety level (and possibly your ire), watch the Loon Cam tomorrow night (July 4) with the volume turned up. It’s Independence Day, the most popular summer holiday, especially with lake people. […]
At 3:56 pm yesterday, a full ten hours after nest abandonment, Dad returned and continued incubation. Mom took over a couple hours later and we’ve had constant incubation since then. So everything is copacetic, right? Maybe. Ten hours is a long time for an egg to go without incubation. A lot depends on the weather […]
At around 6 am this morning, Dad finished up his nest sitting. When he got off the nest, it was evident that one of the eggs was crushed. Mom climbed on the nest nine minutes later and noticed the broken egg. She picked up the largest piece, removed it from the raft and did not […]