24 degrees F Clear Wind Calm Sunrise 6:24 am CDT Sunset 8:01 pm CDT
We set some unbelievable records yesterday!
We ended up with somewhere between 15 and 18 inches of snow here! There were numerous other reports in the area of high snow totals with up to 20 inches in a couple of places and in the teens in numerous areas.
But the amazing thing is the large disparity in snowfall throughout the area.
The Twin Cities airport, where official records are kept, showed that they got only 0.3 inches! And areas further south of the Twin Cities got NO snow, only rain. So when the official records for this day are written for the Twin Cities, it will show that we only got 0.3 inches of snow!
This snowstorm definitely has slowed down the melting of the ice on the lake.
We were scheduled today to work on the camera and all that is necessary to bring images of the LoonCam to you. But obviously that also came to a screeching halt.
The nest is once again under a foot-and-a-half of snow!
Actually there is a drift at least 3 feet deep over the nest and all of the television cables.
So we will have to wait a few days to be able to do any work on it.
The loons are also getting anxious.
I got reports that a couple days ago there were 15 loons on one lake south of The Cities and 11 loons on another lake down there. The ice has already gone out on those lakes but not here.
So the loons are stacked up waiting to fly north.
Today a neighbor told me that he heard and saw a loon flying over the lake here, calling with his 'flying tremolo' call as he went.
So apparently "our loons" are in the area and are flying over to scout whether the lake is ice free yet! Along with us, they will have to wait a few more days.
But it is SO good to know that the loons definitely are in the area and are anxious to come 'home'.
If you have any reports of loon sightings, from anywhere in the country, it would help all of us if you would give us a report. You can send a report of your observations to LoonCam@yahoo.com. I won't totally promise but I will also try to send out an email notice when the camera is live or when we are getting close.
Because of the volume of emails, I cannot answer them personally. But I DO read each and every one of them.
Copyright 2014 Larry R. Backlund