Volunteer Observation Report – Loon Preservation Committee

Volunteer Observation Form

Thank you for submitting your field observations to the Loon Preservation Committee. When in the field, please be sure to observe from a safe distance (at least 150 feet) in order to avoid disturbing the loons.

Lake/Territory*
What lake did you observe loons on?
Territory
If on a lake with multiple loon pairs, which pair did you observe?
Observer*
Who performed this survey?
Nearest Town
Phone
Date*
Date Format: MM slash DD slash YYYY
Start time*
At what time did you begin observing the loons?

HH :

MM
End Time*
At what time did you stop observing the loons?

: HH

MM
Weather*
Please choose the answer that best describes the weather conditions during the time you spent observing loons.
Wind Conditions*
Please choose the weather that best describes the wind conditions during the time you spent observing loons.
Water Conditions*
Please select the answer that best describes the water conditions during the time you spent observing loons.
Number of Single Adult Loons*
Please provide the number of single adult loons (loons not in the presence of a mate) that you observed. If you did not see any adult loons, please write 0.
Single Adult Loon Additional Information
Please provide any written observations about the adult loon(s) you observed (what was it doing? Did it interact with any other loons on the lake?)
Number of Paired Adult Loons*
Please provide the number of paired adult loons you observed. If none were observed, please write 0. Note: this refers to the total number of loons, so if you see a pair of loons, write 2. If you see two pairs, write 4, etc.
Paired Adult Additional Information
Please provide any additional observations about the paired adult loons you saw. What were they doing? Please note if you observed any of the following: pre-nesting behavior (swimming/fishing together, checking for nest sites, nest building), mating, nesting, tending to chicks.
Number of Immature Loons*
Please provide the number of immature loons that you observed (loons 1-3 years of age, not this year's chicks). If none observed, please write 0.
Immature Loon Additional Information
Please provide any additional observations about immature loons observed. What were they doing? Did they interact with any other loons on the lake?
Number of Chicks*
Please provide the number of loon chicks (young of the year) that you observed during your survey. If none observed, please write 0.
Did you see a loon nest during your survey?
Nest Site
Please select the answer that most closely describes the nest site. Please do not search closely for nests–a general location is adequate.
Nest Type
Please select the answer that best describes the nest type. If the nest type cannot be determined from a safe distance (minimum of 150 feet), please select 'Could not determined'.
Nest Start Date
What day did the loons begin nesting? If the exact date is unknown, please provide your best guess here and fill out the next box.
Date Format: MM slash DD slash YYYY
Start Date Certainty
Please provide an estimate of how accurate the nest start date provided above is (+/- how many days?)
What is the current status of the nest?
Hatch Date
When did the chick(s) hatch? If exact date is unknown, please provide your best guess here and fill out the next box.
Date Format: MM slash DD slash YYYY
Hatch Date Certainty
Please provide an estimate of how accurate the hatch date provided above is (+/- how many days?)
Nest Failure Date
When did the nest failure occur? If exact date is unknown, please provide your best guess here and fill out the next box.
Nest Failure Certainty
Please provide an estimate of how accurate the nest failure date provided above is (+/- how many days?)
Suspected Nest Failure Cause
Please provide any observations about factors that may have caused the nest failure.
Behavior Observations
Please check the boxes for any behaviors that you observed.
- Intruding loons observed (unpaired or visiting loons on a territory already occupied by a pair)
- Territorial competition/defense (wing rowing, yodeling, chasing, simultaneous diving)
- Pre-nesting (courtship, copulation, nest building)
- Response to humans (vocalization, nest hang-over, retreat/interruption of foraging/brooding)
Band Observations
Please report any partial or complete band observations. If possible, please provide which leg (left or right) colors are observed on. Please also note if you confirm any of the loons are unbanded.
Remarks
Please provide any additional comments from your survey (Comments on loon foraging, brooding, and territorial behavior, human-loon encounters, lake water-level, predator presence, etc.)
Photos or sketches
Please provide any photos of loons that you took during your survey or a sketch of the lake and the locations of your sightings.
Accepted file types: jpg, gif, png, pdf, tif, tiff, jpeg.

Volunteer Observation Form

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