[I am not sure why this message did not post last night. So let's try it again. I also am not sure why the cam has not gone live yet. We had it working last night and were going to try to go live soon, so some other problem must have developed. I will try to find out and let you know.
You may be interested in checking out an interesting time lapse video. http://www.mnlakecams.com/ The ice was going out of Mille Lacs Lake today, a large lake in Minnesota. We talked about 'chandeliering' last week. Here is another example of it. You may have seen this on the national news as well as the ice partially destroyed a resort. Once again, there are piles of ice over 30 feet high in some areas (this video does not show the extreme piles of ice).]
59 degrees F Clear Wind Calm
Sunrise 5:38am CDT Sunset 8:30pm CDT
We are getting close to the LoonCam going LIVE!
Maybe even within the next few hours.
The good folks from BroadBandMN have been here all afternoon working through a number of technical issues. Amazingly the camera that has been used for several years, decided to fail without any way to fix it. It has been one of several technical issues to plague us and to fail this year after having been tested and tested.
We can only fix as we go and go on. Hoping that nothing will fail while the camera is live.
But it points up how many things are vulnerable. And how hard the technicians work together to make everything successfully function so that you are able to see the picture.
There is a real possibility that we may be able to 'go live' tomorrow or even within the next few hours!
I came up to the house to give you this update. I am heading back down to the lake to do some more work. If all goes well, we will try to be online as soon as possible.
Just so you know, you have not missed any 'action' yet.
The loons have not been up on the nest or even near it.
But they are here. I just saw them and heard them a few minutes ago.
This year brings so many new questions that we have never faced before, mainly because of the late spring and odd weather that we have had this year.
As many of you faithful 'old timers' know, I become very paranoid during the weeks before the loons actually nest. This year brings many of those feelings and even more. Someone asked me if I thought with their late arrival, the loons had an urgency to lay eggs and already found another place to nest or will not nest at all.
It is possible. But unlikely.
That would mean that over 250,000 loons that nest in Canada would not be able to nest because the lakes from just north of me and throughout Canada are still ice covered.
It is possible that the loons here have already found a nesting area. That is possible but questionable. The nesting platform was out in the water less than 48 hours after the ice was completely gone.
So many questions. So few answers.
With this unusual weather and late spring this year, it gives us a chance to learn even more.
Check back often.
Like I said, we may have the camera live in a matter of HOURS!
Now I have to get back down and work some more before it gets too dark.
Copyright 2013 Larry R Backlund
