We Have an Egg!

May 25, 2021

In the early evening of yesterday, the Loon Cam 1 female got on the nest and began contractions typical of egg laying. The “final push” occurred at 8:23 pm. She remained on the nest for another hour and twenty minutes. The male got on the nest at 9:08 this morning and turned the egg, which was our first chance for visual confirmation.

So, can a loon lay a viable egg 14 hours after fertilization? It seems unlikely but there is no reliable data on the exact timing. It’s quite possible that previous mating had occurred off-camera.