69 degrees Clear and Sunny Wind 8 mph NE
Sunrise 5:51 am CDT Sunset 8:29 pm CDT
It is a beautiful day here for the Fishing Opener.
Warm sun. Blue skies. And just enough wind to create a 'walleye chop'.
Fortunately for our loons today, it is pretty quiet on the lake. I counted only about a dozen boats a little while ago. Many fishermen tend to go further north or to bigger lakes on the Opener.
Like I mentioned, the Governor's fishing party went to Lake Vermilion this year. Lake Vermilion is not very far from the Canadian border.
Lake Mille Lacs is another very heavily used lake, not only on the Opener but all year. Fishermen have a lot of choices. 10,000 or more!
All of that is good for our loons if there isn't a lot of boat traffic or people wanting to get close to see the loons.
There is an eagle fishing very close by right now though.
And that has concerned the loons.
I watched the eagle circling very close by. The female on the nest lowered her head several times. And the male called from out on the lake.
But this time the eagle was not looking for loons. It had spotted a fish.
It circled and cirlcled. It was a mature eagle with the white head and the white tail gleaming in the bright sunshine.
It lowered its legs and talons several times.
Then when the time was just right, it lowered its talons once again and swooped in for the kill.
He rose up with a fish in his grasp and flew to a nearby tree where he is eating the fish right now. It looked like it might have been a bullhead. He can have all of those that he wants to take.That tree where he is eating is not all that far from the nest and where he caught the fish was even closer.
There are two fishermen in a boat that were VERY close to where the eagle swooped down and caught the fish. I would like to know what they thought or said. Because they had a front row seat to all the action.
I am very surprised that the female loon did not spook and leave the nest. She must be getting more mature and comfortable, which is VERY good.
I have watched a couple of nest exchanges today and she is getting much better at them as well. All of it is hopeful signs that we might have a successful hatch this year.
There is a long way to go yet. We are only into the first few days.
So a lot remains to be written of the 2015 Book of Loons.
But you will see it LIVE as it happens.
What could be better?!
Copyright 2015 Larry R Backlund