41 degrees F Clear Wind 7mph NE
Sunrise 6:11 am CDT Sunset 8:12 on CDT
Once again today, we were reminded how little we truly know.
When you think you have seen everything, something unbelievable happens out of the blue.
Two days ago it was the geese that decided they wanted the loons nice nesting platform.
They didn't count on the fact that loons don't give up so easily. And one of the loons unceremoniously chased the goose off the nest and did not even allow it to save its dignity. The loon may have stabbed the goose because the goose jumped backwards, hit the camera with a loud "THUD!" and then bounced forward off the nest and beat a hasty retreat from the loons.
Hopefully a lesson well learned..
Early this morning it was encouraging that the loons were once again on the nest and mated. They definitely are calling the nest their own.
But shortly after they left, someone else decided to pay a visit to the nest.
A 'large bird' tried to land on the cable that helps to hold the camera upright.
He didn't count on the fact that the cable is flexible and isn't like a branch. When it began to give way, the bird quickly took off. And as he hurriedly left, he also hit the camera with a "THUD!".
But then he swooped back in a few seconds later and seemed to take some of the nesting material with him as he swooped in.
I cannot be 100% certain what kind of a bird it was, but looking at the video several times I think it may have been an osprey. You can see Lee's video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0oyPmapc-E
Now what is strange about that is ospreys have not been believed to be any threat to loons. An osprey is sometimes called a 'fish hawk' because they feed almost exclusively on fish.
And loons do not seem to mind when an osprey is flying around the lake.
But let it be a bald eagle that is flying around and the loons go crazy.
One is a danger to loons, the other is not.
But it is doubly strange that the osprey would 'steal nesting material' off the platform.
There is an abundance of cattails and other nesting material all around the lake. They certainly do not need to steal from the loon's nesting platform.
Within a few minutes the loons were back and swimming around the nest. Once of them even got back up on the nest for a few minutes. Apparently they had been watching from somewhere out on the lake and when they saw the osprey messing around with their house, they were quite to come and check to see that the burglars had not done any damage.
Then apparently satisfying themselves that everything was ok, they left again.
The loons have been visiting the nest with increasing frequency and actually starting to work on building a 'bowl' to hold the eggs.
All of those things are very good signs that we are approaching that exciting time of seeing the first egg laid.
The excitement continues to build!
Text and tweet and call and let your family and friends and schools know that now is the time to start watching the drama unfold.
Copyright 2015 Larry R Backlund