A Heartbreaking Farewell: The Close of the 2026 Season on Looncam 2
The long night of July 13th into the morning of July 14th brought the devastating realization that the Looncam 2 community had been dreading. After the female loon left the nest at 19:43 the previous evening, the hours ticked by with no sign of either parent returning. Through the dark early morning hours, viewers listened to distant tremolos and the “hollow wail of a grieving loon”. Despite some hopeful chatters thinking they heard faint peeps coming from the fifth egg at dawn, the tragic reality began to set in. As the morning bird chorus started, watcher @Faith-Grace-w4u echoed the sentiment of many, sharing, “I am heartbroken… Shocking to go from Joy from a chick, to everything gone”.
As the morning progressed, the chatroom transformed into a space for mourning, reflection, and immense gratitude. Viewers began to say their emotional goodbyes, thanking the Loon Preservation Committee (LPC), the tirelessly dedicated Looncam Operator (LCO), and each other for the season’s camaraderie. Chatters reflected on the “loonie friendships” they had formed and the beautiful privilege of watching these majestic birds so closely. Veteran watcher @debrab8109 captured the community’s bittersweet mood perfectly: “It’s had its joys & sorrows, but that’s the realities of a loons life. Good bye my loonie friends until next year and stay safe little mama”.
Providing much-needed closure, Caroline from the LPC (@LoonOrgNH) joined the chat mid-morning to offer comfort and scientific wisdom to the grieving viewers. She explained that the LPC would wait until the egg had been unattended for a full 24 hours before collecting it, and they plan to x-ray both the second and fifth eggs to check for embryo development.
Caroline brought a vital, comforting perspective to the community regarding the fate of the nest. Addressing the tragic loss of the first chick, she reminded viewers that hatching is an incredibly hard, energy-intensive process, and sometimes chicks simply do not survive despite everyone’s best efforts. Importantly, she offered a powerful silver lining for the future: while the pair had a tough couple of years, the fact that this new female successfully hatched a chick proves that she is not infertile, dispelling speculation from last year.
Caroline also engaged with the chatters’ curiosities, praising an insightful hypothesis from watcher @EdamameBean, who wondered if the nutritional quality of the eggs decreased by the time the female laid her fourth and fifth eggs. Caroline noted that this was a great question that the LPC is in a position to investigate using their data on egg dimensions, mass, and volume.
Though the cam’s season has concluded, the community’s dedication continues. The LPC will share more updates on the retrieved eggs in their newsletter, and they invited viewers to tune into the State of the Loon Report on August 20th. As the community logs off for the summer, they do so with heavy hearts, but armed with a deeper understanding of the incredible resilience of New Hampshire’s loons. See you next year, Looncam 2!
