40 degrees F Cloudy Wind NE 3 mph
Sunrise 6:03 am CDT Sunset 8:18 pm CDT
It is a cloudy cool start to the day on this last day of April.
There is a storm system heading our way that has already dumped more than a foot of snow on parts of Denver.
It should reach us later today with mainly rain. But overnight and by tomorrow morning we may have snow here on Loon Lake. Snow on the first day of May. It is not unheard of. But it certainly is not common.
How much snow will there be? If any?
It will all depend on the exact track the storm takes. A few miles change in the storm track either way will make all the difference in the world. Forecasts have been changing every hour it seems.
The latest forecasts are projecting maybe a couple inches of snow here at the loon nest. But a few miles one direction they are predicting 6 to 8 inches. A few miles the other direction and they are predicting just rain.
It is now predicted to begin later today, which is already a change from the original prediction of it starting this morning.
But by next weekend the forecast is for temperatures around 70.
We can only wait to see what, if anything, happens.
Yesterday was a relatively quiet day with only a few visits to the nest. And one instance of mating.
But what was encouraging to see was the start of 'nest building'. The loons started the first signs of rearranging materials to build their nest. It has been minimal so far but at least it is a start.
That is the thing to watch for in the next few days.
You will see either or both loons begin to 'dig' with their feet, forming a bowl in the nesting material.
I would expect to see more of this nest 'digging' and rearranging materials in the next few days. As the activity increases, it tells us that we are closer and closer to the actual laying of any egg.
It will be interesting to see what effect the snow, if any, has on the activity on the nest.
Loons normally lay two eggs. Sometimes they lay only one. And rarely they will lay three eggs.
We are now approaching the time when things get really exciting - the laying of an egg.
Once the first egg is laid, you can be assured of seeing a loon almost any time you log in, 24 hours a day.
Enjoy.
Copyright 2017 Larry R Backlund