70 degrees Scattered Clouds Wind 4mph SE
Morning light just begins to gild the eastern sky on a northern lake.
One can now make out the surface of the lake and the far shoreline.
The frogs are in full song and there is a chirping sound. The same one I heard yesterday morning. Is it the morning birds getting ready? Because now there is also the sound of the morning birds as well. Or is it 'something' else?!
The sun won't be up for more than half an hour yet.
The loon mate sits patiently about 30 feet from the nest. Just floating. Just relaxing.
One wonders what (s)he knows that he isn't telling us. What conversations do the loons have with each other when they do their nest exchange? How much information is exchanged? Or is any information exchanged?
I have been watching for about 20 minutes and I have not seen any signs that the appearance of a chick is imminent. Or that full-fledged hatching is under way.
At least not the signs I want to see to be a little more certain of what is happening.
There have been a few subtle tail wiggles that is not normal and might be a sign of things happening under there. But no wing lifts or other flinching like there were a few of last night.
Some people in the chat room said they had seen more of that behavior over night and egg turning more often than normal. But no clear view of the eggs. Nor have I seen any clear view of the eggs this morning.
So the "egg hatching vigil" continues!
Just a reminder that it can take many hours from the time an egg is first 'pipped' before a chick actually hatches. At least that is the case with chickens and many other birds. But once again so very little is known about loons.
There is nothing we can do to speed it up.
The chicks will decide when they 'pip and zip and hatch'.
And the adult loon will decide when it wants to get up and give us a good view.
So once again, we wait. And hope.
Questions or Comments? LoonCam@yahoo.com