May 29-31
A Bittersweet Weekend on Looncam 2: Saying Goodbye to the Second Egg
May 29: A Fleeting Visit and a Tough Reality The morning of Friday, May 29 began with observant viewers acknowledging that the unincubated second egg had likely been abandoned due to the black flies. However, the community was treated to a surprise glimmer of hope when the male loon suddenly hopped onto the nest at 9:39 AM. He stayed on the raft for about six minutes while the female stayed in the water right next to him. While this brief visit brought a flurry of excitement and joy to the chat, it sadly was not enough to save the neglected egg. Later that afternoon, the Loon Cam Operator (LCO) officially confirmed what many feared: the egg was no longer viable and would need to be retrieved by trained biologists the following week.
May 30: A Beautiful Bond Amidst an Unseasonal Chill Despite the heartbreak over the failed nest, the loon pair proved their bond remains strong. Early Saturday morning, the pair put on a spectacular, extended show in front of the raft. While taking a “nature’s shower” in the rain, the loons were seen swimming together, thoroughly preening, foot-waggling, and standing to flap their wings. The LPC intern, Mariah, even dropped into the chat later to share a highlight video of the beautiful display. Aside from the loons, the day was marked by bizarre late-May weather; viewers noted chilly mid-40s temperatures and could even see snow capping the mountains in the distance. LCO ended the day by treating viewers to a stunning pink and purple sunset.
May 31: Egg Retrieval and Hope for a Re-Nest The weekend concluded with the official end of the second egg’s journey. At 5:14 PM, Mariah announced to the chat that biologists were en route to the raft, and the egg was collected shortly after. Mariah stayed in the chat for a helpful Q&A session, explaining that removing the unviable egg is necessary to prevent it from decaying and attracting predators to the raft.
Crucially, she also offered the community a major silver lining: it is still very early in the season! Because most New Hampshire loons don’t begin nesting until the first week of June, there is a strong chance this pair will attempt a “re-nest” and lay one more egg once they have recovered their energy. The weekend officially wrapped up with a dramatic weather event, as a heavy lightning storm forced the LCO to temporarily pull both cameras offline to protect the equipment. The next morning, both cameras were still down and diagnosis was in process.
