Did you ever think that you would be a part of some much drama and discussion when you first started watching the LoonCam?!?!?
Another day. Another egg off the nest!
I know that this happens in nature. Probably more than we will ever know. But this is the FIRST time that I have seen an egg go off the nest with this particular nest. Let alone TWO times!
I was able to spot the egg floating quite some distance from the nest.
So once again, it was back out in the lake to retrieve it.
As I reached it, I quickly noted that it was floating pointed end up. I remember thinking that was unusual.
As I held it in my hand, I struggled with what was the right thing to do.
Return it to the nest yet one more time? Or remove it from the scene and face reality.
There was absolutely no cracks in the egg. No holes. No sound from within. No detectable movement. I even carefully felt to see if I could detect any warmth from a developing chick inside. Nothing on all counts.
So I made the difficult decision to NOT return it to the nest this time!
But as I walked with the egg in my hand, I was still torn. I would never forgive myself if later research showed that there was a chick inside that could have survived.
But then I also told myself that if I had not seen it, it would not have survived in the water anyway.
But troubling decisions to make.
If there had been ANY sign of a chick....a crack, a hole, a pip, a peep, warmth, movement. ANYTHING! - I would have disturbed the loon on the nest and returned the egg. But there was NO sign of a chick. And even as I have the egg here now, there is NO sign of anything.
I even floated it in water. Slowly it went from floating on its side to floating small side up. As if the egg materials slowly settled down to one side of the egg. Certainly not what one would expect with a chick in the egg.
So after a difficult decision, I have one egg here and will be talking to the DNR today.
The other egg remains on the nest.