I think we are getting VERY close to the first egg being laid!!
The loon has visited the nest a number of times in the last two hours. She has gotten much more serous about nest building. Already there is a very nice nest bowl that she has formed. And she has tried it on for size in just about every position conceivable.
It is important that it is "just right". It will be "home" for them for the next month and they will almost never leave it during that time. One of the loons....either the male or the female....will be on it all the time. The eggs will very rarely be left uncovered for any length of time.
The male and the female share nest sitting duties almost equally.
Even as I am writing this now, [s]he came up on the nest from the backside 'like a bullet'.
Within a minute the male was also up on the nest and they mated. I have to look back for my count but this is either the 5th or 6th time they mated.
I am still not out of my "paranoid" phase and will not be until they have actually laid the first egg. But each visit to the nest eases my paranoia a little bit and strengthens the probability that they will use the nest again this year. Part of the 'paranoia' comes from knowing that less than half of the nesting platforms put out are ever successful! [I will look the exact figure up for you sometime.]
And with this nesting platform I have been fortunate enough to have them use it for eight years....EVERY year that it has been out there! That is something that is almost unheard of.
Folks....we are getting CLOSER to the first egg being laid! This is NOT the time to leave your computer!