46 degrees F Clear Wind Calm
Sunrise 5:56 am CDT Sunset 8:23 pm CDT
It looked ever so close last night!
The loons were up on the nest 6 times within about a 45 minute period. The female loon especially seemed to be much more intent on nest building. That is something that was new for her this year. Most of the nest building has been done by the male.
It really looked like we were on the verge of an egg being laid last night.
But alas, it was only a false alarm.
Last year the first egg was laid at 5:17 am CDT. I am not sure when the second egg was laid last year since that was during the time the LoonCam was down for a couple days when we got hit by lightning!
We are now at full moon. And the moon has been bright enough to fool the infrared sensor on the camera that it is getting close to dawn. And the camera could not make up its mind for most of the night whether it should be on night vision or day vision. And it kept clicking back and forth between the two.
That should stop happening if it is a cloudy night or as the full moon starts waning.
The loons are hanging out just out from the buoys right now as I write this. All of this is a very encouraging sign that we are close to the first egg.
But it has been unusual this year to see all of the continued activity but no egg so far. As always, when you think you have things figured out, the loons show you how little you really know. And how predicting is futile.
So once again today we wait like anxious expectant parents. Watching our loons. Hoping. Trying to keep our highs and lows on a more even keel.
"When" it happens, I expect to see the female on the nest with 'more urgency'. She will probably position herself up along the edge of the bowl. She will obviously show some signs of straining as she tries to push that egg out.
She may even spread her wings to steady herself and give herself some leverage.
Any mother probably can fully identify with what she is going through. Even the false signs that we have seen so far.
Is today the big day for the first egg?
Who knows?
It isn't our show. It is the loons.
We are mere spectators in the audience. Ready to cheer when the main part of the play happens.
Copyright 2015 Larry R Backlund