79 degrees Clear Wind 8 mph NE
Sunrise 5:27 am CDT Sunset 8:57 pm CDT
It is a beautiful blue sky Minnesota day with lots of sunshine and low humidity.
I have not seen our loons yet today.
I am not sure where they are. Now that does not mean I am concerned at all. They could be anyplace. I just have not seen them. And there are enough waves on the lake that makes it harder to spot them.
I am a little surprised that they have ventured further than I would have expected at this point. Normally they would stay closer to the nesting area for the first few days and then gradually move out further and further.
But again let me repeat that at this point it does not concern me that I have not seen them.
I was gone all day yesterday as well so I was not able to watch them. But I know that early yesterday morning I saw one very active little chick swimming alongside the parents and I am 90% sure that the other chick was on the back of one of the adults. In the early morning light I could not tell for sure.
I will try to give you reports of any sightings and updates.
But what we do know is that we have two beautiful little loon chicks.
This is a bittersweet time of year.
So much anticipation. So much watching. So much cheering. So many stomach-churning moments of concern. So much JOY in seeing our new loon chicks.
And then it is all over so fast as the little chicks leave the nest to begin their new life where they were intended to be. ON the lake!
The yellow irises started blooming just in time as if to celebrate the birth of the chicks. And they are beautiful. There are a whole bunch of them, as well as daisies, that protrude up out of your picture at the very top of the screen.
But it just isn't the same, is it?
What had been such a place of such fascination for the last month, is now just a nice little flower garden. Almost like one you could have in your backyard.
Where there was life and interest ... well, it is just no longer the same without our beautiful loons.
THEY were the ones that made this place so special!
I will leave the LoonCam on and the nesting platform out for a few more days so that hopefully you might get a glimpse of the loons if they come swimming by.
But in a few days we will turn the camera off and pull the nest in.
And another wonderful SUCCESSFUL loon season will come to an end.
And we will begin to dream about 2018!
Copyright 2017 Larry R Backlund