48 degrees Partly Cloudy Wind SE 9mph
On a quiet northern lake in Minnesota, both of our loons are sleeping.
They both have been floating not too far from the nest, their heads turned back with their beaks tucked under their wings....sleeping! They have been this way for the last 10 minutes or more.
Seldom have I seen both of them sleeping at the same time or sleeping for so long.
Obviously they are calm and comfortable.
It is an amazing and wonderful sight to see these two magnificent birds so unconcerned. So relaxed. So beautiful floating on a sky blue northern lake.
As several of you already noted, they already mated yet one more time on the nest early this morning. This is more matings than I have seen in previous years. I do not know if that is a good or a bad sign.
It was quite a roller coaster ride of emotions yesterday afternoon, wasn't it.
Every time she got on the nest, I think it was on everyone's mind....'is THIS the time'?!
There were at least three times where I noted small subtle differences in how she was acting that made me believe that we were close to an egg laying. But nope, each time she got back in the water without leaving an egg in the nest.
So we wait. And hope.
We observe the reality of nature.
Only in this case, we are 'participants'!
Usually all of this goes on without us ever even being aware that something is happening. We blithely go about our day without a clue or a second thought of all the miracles and dramas that are playing out right under our noses. Without us ever seeing or noticing or even caring.
But as you have seen with your own reactions to her laying an egg, this very quickly becomes personal and emotional when you are able to see "up close and personal" what is happening.
Will today be the day?
It is something that we cannot control. We cannot MAKE it happen. We can only watch and hope.
And before anyone becomes too concerned, they have laid that first egg well into May several years.
So we are not yet at the point of great concern. You may be just at the point of 'concern' and wondering. But there is still a LOT of hope that our loons will raise yet another pair of chicks. This particular nest has been much more successful than most. They have nested and laid eggs every year for the last 8 years. Most nesting platforms are used less than 50% of the time. So we have been very fortunate!
And even when loons lay eggs, on average they raise only 0.62 chicks per year. So by either of those standards, this particular nest has been spectacularly successful!
So once again today enjoy what you see and hear. Take your heart medicine. Get a cup of coffee and sick back and relax as you enjoy the WONDER of what you are watching!