40 degrees F Cloudy Wind 5mph NE
The loons have already been around and up on the nest this morning.
I think now all of you should have the picture back. I am with you, I am not sure either what happened overnight. Those of you who were still up saw that we lost the picture for some reason about 11:30pm last night. There was still a picture being transmitted from the camera but somewhere along the unbelievably long line of things that have to work, something quit working for a while. A few people were having trouble getting a picture late last night, while I and many others were still getting great picture and sound. But then it finally went down about 11:30pm. I don't know what happened or where it happened.
I am glad that you have a picture now. Most people were not even aware of losing the picture - only the night owls and the early morning risers.
It was not related to the camera almost going in the lake a couple days ago during the storm. We were able to catch the camera before it actually went in the water so it was not due to that.
The forecast today is for more rain, potentially heavy at times. This is forecast to last most of the day with a 90% chance of rain and some scattered thunderstorms. But the loons could care less about a little rain. They are used to water.
Right now the loons are somewhere out on the lake. I do not see them. But I would expect them to come back in to the nest sometime yet this morning.
All of the signs are very hopeful.
They seem to have definitely taken ownership of the nest. That is the most hopeful sign.
A couple days ago, I saw a Canada goose who was near the nest suddenly come flying towards shore. A loon partially surfaced where the goose had been. I am sure the loon told the goose in no uncertain terms to get out of there. That this was "loon territory"!
But even more encouraging is the fact that the loons have mated on the nest a number of times and now have begun some nest building activity when they are up there. Using their feet to dig a bowl in the nesting materials. Pulling in other materials from the sides.
All of it very encouraging signs that very soon we may see the first egg being laid.
I should know better than to make any predictions. But I feel that we should see an egg being laid in the next few days to a week. But then what do I know. Only the loons know for sure and they are not telling us.
But one of the many miracles that we will witness again this year is that right now inside the female loon there is probably an egg being formed.
Everything that is necessary for the creation of new life. New life out of "nothing".
If that is not a miracle, I don't know what is!
A loon egg is quite large. Much larger than a chicken egg. It takes a lot of energy for the loon to produce that egg. And not only one egg like that, but two. A loon has to have a lot of food available after a long flight north to have the energy to produce those eggs. And that means a lot of small fish and other food.
If food is scarce in any given year, the loons may produce only one egg or may not even lay an egg that year. But food should not be a problem for our loons on this lake. There is an abundance of small sunfish and other fish for them to eat.
So today, hope always springs eternal.
We hope that our loons are out eating all they can right now. To have enough energy to produce an egg. And not only one egg, but two.
And we hope beyond hope that we will once again have the unbelievable privilege of watching two little beautiful black downy chicks being hatched. And then watch as they leave the nest and go off into the big new world to grow into adult loons.
To grace us with their beauty and their unbelievably beautiful and haunting calls.
Those calls that tell us we are in the beauty of the wildernesses of great north.
Comments or Questions? LoonCam(at)yahoo(dot)com
Copyright 2012 Larry Backlund