7:01 pm CDT WE HAVE AN EGG!
Barely an hour and a half after I had posted that the arrival of the first egg seemed imminent, the loons laid their FIRST EGG!
It all happened very fast. Only about 5 or 6 minutes from the first signs that she was pushing an egg until there was actually a brand new egg laying in the nest.
But she never left the nest.
She sat on the nest for over a half hour.
But then a pontoon stopped outside the buoys which was ok. But I think it was the fact that they stopped and stayed there that may have concerned her. And she left the nest.
She joined the male as they positioned themselves between the pontoon and the nest. They did not seem overly concerned. They just calmly sat there to make sure it didn't come any closer.
I expected that when the pontoon left, one of the loons would return to the nest. But they didn't. They just stayed slightly outside the buoys.
Then shortly before dark, they swam out into the lake. And the egg stayed right where it was. All alone. On the nest. And now at 11 pm they still have not come back to the nest.
This is the first time I have ever seen this kind of behavior.
I would be MUCH more comfortable if one of them did come back and sit on the egg. But at this point I am not overly concerned ... unless it would get down to freezing tonight. But it should not get that low, the forecast is for the low 40s.
Since this egg has not actually started to be incubated and the chick developing, it should be ok.
But, having said that, I would still be MUCH more comfortable if a loon was sitting on the egg.
;-)
Copyright 2017 Larry R Backlund