37 degrees F Cloudy and Light Rain Wind Calm
Sunrise 6:07 am CDT Sunset 8:17 am CDT
Mother Nature still can’t seem to make up her mind about the weather.
But that is pretty typical of a Minnesota spring. The weather changes dramatically within a few days.
And Mother Nature doesn’t seem to be listening to any of our “SIMON SAYS” statements.
In just the last week since the loon nest was put in the lake, we have seen temperatures in the high 70s and the lower 20s. There was heavy snow that went to the south of Loon Lake. And this morning there is snow to the north of us.
But here at Loon Lake we just have light rain right now on a chilly spring morning.
The good news is that the nest is in the lake, the loons have already been visiting the nest and have even reportedly mated several times. All of those things portend that they will use the nest this year and there is hope that we will have eggs and eventually little loon chicks.
Let me go out on a limb and say that it will probably be a week before we actually see the first egg. There is a lot of activity that needs to take place with the loons first. But as sure as I make a prediction, the loons will probably prove me wrong. So I should know better than to predict what they will do.
But all the signs are good so far.
Probably the biggest news though is which loon is back at the nest this year!
The male has green bands on both legs. This is the loon that I thought we had lost over the winter of 2017/2018 when an unbanded male came back to the nest with the female last year. And as you will remember they did not nest last year and therefore we did not have chicks last year. That is one of the few times that we have not had chicks on the LoonCam.
The male with the green bands is one that we banded many, many years ago and has been such a faithful mate. And one that I have had a very special connection with. It is a mystery to me why he was not back here last year. But it is so good to have him back after I was sure we had lost him. The female with the red stripe band is the one who we banded just a few years ago.
We have gone through the usual technical problems that come up and need to be taken care of to make everything work to bring you this special look into the life of loons. Everything from sound issues to new software to me not being able to get into the area where I write this blog to … well, you name it. It is just a reminder how many hundreds if not thousands of little things must work together perfectly to bring the LoonCam to you.
And how fragile things can be from day to day.
But sit back. Relax. And enjoy this unique and very special look into the life of our loons.
Copyright 2019 Larry R Backlund