Wednesday, May 20, 2009 5:38am CDT

70 degrees  High Scattered Clouds  Wind South 14mph

Right now it is a peaceful morning just before sunrise for the loons with some breeze stirring ripples for the loon's.

But according to the weather forecast, that is going to change.  There are predictions for today of very high winds and temperatures close to 90 degrees.  All of this ahead of a low pressure system approaching from the Dakotas that will bring the winds before lowering the temperatures tomorrow.

We often call Minnesota "the theatre of seasons", but this year seems to be unusually so.  It is a  multi-act play.

Some of you commented yesterday about the loons open mouth.  The loon was panting a lot yesterday in the heat and sun.  It reached 88 degrees here at the lake while in the Twin Cities it shattered the record with a temperature of 97 degrees!  So our loons were indeed warm sitting on the nest.

But to give you an idea of the contrast, the highs in northern Minnesota near the Canadian border were only in the 40's and 50's yesterday!!    There was a great temperature difference across the state.  So I am not sure if the "theatre" qualifies as a 'comedy' or a 'tragedy'.  It has been a different spring.

But the loons just seem to take it in stride.  It is all in a day's work of sitting on and incubating and protecting their eggs.

I have promised you that we would talk about feet and legs and to try to reconstruct some of the blog that was lost a few days ago.  So are you ready?  Here we go.

Yesterday we talked about one of the possibilities of how the loon got its name.  From the Scandinavian word for clumsy.

And they are very clumsy on land.   Most of that clumsiness is due to their feet and their legs.

Some loon researchers have figured out that if our feet were the same size as a loons foot, we would have feet that were a size 45 triple R!!!  Can you say "clown feet"?!!!  Their feet are huge.

But this is one of the things that makes loons such powerful swimmers.  With feet that large, they are able to use them to swim very fast and those large feet also allow them to make turns very quickly underwater as they chase small fish.  Their feet are webbed and it gives them their own built-in swimming flippers.

But their is something else that helps to make them powerful swimmers.  And that is their legs.

If you watch closely when they are swimming near the nest, and the water and light are just right, you can see their feet and legs underwater.  You will notice that their legs look like they are way at the back of their body.  They sort of just 'hang' off the very back of the loon's body and go a little bit off to the sides.

This gives you the first hint that there is something different about the loon.  Ducks and other waterbirds have feet that are more under the middle of the bird.  But a loon's feet and legs are way at the back of the body.

Why is that?

OK, do this exercise.  Stretch your arm out in front of you.  Imagine for a moment that your arm is the leg of a chicken.  The upper part of your arm is the 'drumstick'.  The lower part of your arm is the lower part of the chicken's leg.  And your wrist and your hand are the chicken's foot.

Move your arm around.  Think of how a chicken walks as you do it.  (The picture in my mind right now is thousands of people sitting at their computers in the office or at home waving their arms like a chicken walking.  With their coworkers and family looking at them out of the corner of their eye wondering if they have finally gone crazy.  Or "loony"!)

A chicken has full movement of its leg to walk around.  And the leg is placed centrally on its body so that it can balance as it walks.

Now hold the upper part of your arm tightly against your body.  Pretend that there is a towel wrapped around your upper arm and your body that holds your arm there.

Now try the same movement that you tried before.  You can move the lower part of your arm - the forearm and your hand - but you cannot move the upper part of your arm because there is a towel holding it next to your body.  Wave the lower part of your arm and notice how much different it looks and feels.

This is what a loon is faced with.

Because you see, a loon's upper leg or 'drumstick' is encased inside its body skin.  It is held tightly against its body.  It cannot move it like a chicken or a duck or a turkey does.  All it can do is move the lower part of its leg.

Now this has advantages and disadvantages.

By enclosing the upper part of the leg within the body skin, it makes the lower part of the leg look like it comes off the comes off the very back of the body.  The advantage is that this placement of the leg helps the loon to be a very powerful swimmer.  So the combination of the large foot and the leg placed near the back of the body, makes the loon one of the most powerful swimmers around.

But it puts them at a distinct disadvantage when they are on land.  Unlike a chicken or other birds which can easily walk around, the loon does not have the movement or configuration of its legs that are built for walking.  Swimming yes.  Walking, no.  To see it once again, hold your upper arm against your body and wave your lower arm around and imagine the difference in mobility for the loon.

You get a great view of this when the loon gets on the nest during a nest change.  The leg is way at the back of the loons body.  And this is why it looks so clumsy.  And not only 'looks' clumsy, it is clumsy on land.  This is why it just sort of waddles and flops as it gets onto the nest.

It also helps you understand what we talked about before as well - that if a loons happens to land on dry ground instead of water,  it is almost helpless.  It can only waddle with great difficulty and actually moves more by just flopping as it thrusts its body forward.  And without water to take off from, it cannot become airborne.

So now you know about the loon's feet and legs.  And you know more about what makes the loon even more special and different.  So go back to waving your arms around and showing your coworkers what it is like for a loon to walk!

Have a great day watching these beautiful birds.  And marveling at all that is unfolding before your eyes!

Questions or Comments or Observations?  Post them here or in the Chat Room or send them to LoonCam@yahoo.com

Tuesday, May 19, 2009 6:36am CDT

45 degrees   Clear and Sunny   Wind  NE 11mph

As the bright morning sun just begins to touch the loon on the nest, it sits there ever faithful.  Carefully taking care of its two precious eggs.

It has now been almost 3 weeks of sitting on the eggs hour after hour.  Day after day.  Week after week.

But now the loons are in the home stretch.  In only a little over a week, the eggs should hatch.  And if all has gone well, there should be two little black downy loon chicks!  One can only begin to imagine that wonder of what is going on inside those eggs.  The majesty of creation of new life.  Of something out of nothing.  Things that are so far beyond our understanding and comprehension.  Oh. we know some of the "mechanics" of it.  But how does it all work?  We don't begin to have a clue.

But in another week or so, we will hopefully see the results of that miracle before our eyes!

You have watched how the loons get on and off the nest.  How they turn the eggs ever so carefully.  How they wiggle and rock as they settle down on them until they get them just right.  But what just doesn't fit with the grace and beauty of the loon swimming or sitting on the nest, is the awkwardness of the loon as it gets up on the nest.

Which brings us to where the loon got its name.

Sometimes we wonder why they are called loons.  We associate the name with someone being "loony" or crazy.  But it has nothing to do with that.

The description "loony" comes from the old belief that during the time of a full moon, some people would go crazy.  Hence, "loony" from the word "lunar" meaning moon.

However, linguists seem to think that the name loon actually came from a Scandinavian word "lum" or "loom".  One of the meanings of that word was "clumsy".  And clumsy sure fits the description of a loon on land.  They are very clumsy.  Almost to the point of being helpless on land.

As you have seen, they just sort of waddle and flop as they get up on the nest.  They definitely are not built for getting around on land.  And they are very clumsy.

But put them in the water!  That is a different story.  Here they are in their element.  Here they are at home.  THAT is their realm and their kingdom! 

So I don't really like the other associations of the name loon.  Crazy or clumsy.  Take your choice.  They don't do justice to these magnificent birds that we know as loons.  But now you know the probable origin of the name.

Questions or Comments or Observations?  Post them here or in the Chat Room or send them to LoonCam@yahoo.com

Monday, May 18, 2009 9:51pm CDT

68 degrees    Dark     Wind SE 3mph

Tonight has been one of those magnificent Minnesota twilight evenings.

That magical time of day when the sun has gone.  Technically it is night.  But there still remains a long period of twilight.  An in between time.  A restful, peaceful, relaxing time.  It is a time that people who live in the great north are familiar with in the summer.  But people at lower latitudes do not experience twilight in the same way.  In lower latitudes, it is light.  And it is dark.  With very little transition in between.

You have watched that long transition on the webcam tonight.

Even now at 10 o'clock in the evening, there is still a slight glow in the northwestern sky.  It is hard to make out any stars in that part of the sky because of the twilight glow.

The lake is like a sheet of glass.  Still as can be.  The frogs are in full song tonight.

And during this special time, somewhere out there our loon sits on the nest.  No wind.  No waves.  No cold.  No rain.  No snow.  In fact it got to 86 degrees here today!   No boats.  No eagles.  All is quiet.  Just very quiet.  And peaceful.

I am sorry that I was not able to do a blog this morning.  I have been out of town since yesterday.

I got home for just a few minutes this afternoon before I had to leave for another meeting tonight.  Just in time to hear the loons give an alarm call.  Both of them.

As I go to look to see what has alarmed them, I see two great blue herons fly almost right over the nest.  Very seldom do they alarm call over a great blue heron.  But they sure did this time.  Apparently flying right over the nest was enough to do it.  The loon on the nest never left.  But along with its mate it sure was making its concern and displeasure known.

But there was something strange.  I wish I knew what had happened to alarm the loons.  The mate qas swimming in very close to shore.  Much closer than it ever swims.  That is the area where the great blue herons usually stalk their prey.  Small fish.

Why was the loon there?  I don't know.  I would like to know.  Had there been a confrontation between the heron and the loon?  The loon would quite possibly come out on the short end of the stick in a confrontation like that.  I have never seen such a confrontation.  So once again the unknown.  Whatever it was, the loons did not like it.  But as soon as the two herons were gone, they quickly settled down to their main task - making sure that two eggs were taken care of.

But right now, in the dark, all is quiet.  And one can only assume that all is well on the northern front.

Questions or Comments or Observations?  Post them here or in the Chat Room or send them to LoonCam@yahoo.com

Sunday, May17, 2009 8:43am CDT

50 degrees    Clear and Sunny    Wind  W 5mph

Finally the loons (and all the rest of us, too) are getting a break from the wind.  It seems like it has been unusually windy for the last week or more.

But this morning there is just a slight breeze.  Just enough to make ripples on the lake.  But it was cold overnight here at the lake.  There was just a touch of frost here at the lake with the low temperature at 31 degrees!!  This is not unheard of here in the north but it feels like "it is WAY too late for frost!"

The sky is a stunning blue this morning with not a cloud in sight.

The flowering fruit trees are in bloom.  Many of the other spring flowers are in bloom.  The view is stunning.   It is just one of those mornings when all is well with the world.  And all is well with the loons.

We are now down to less than 2 weeks before the eggs should hatch and we should have 2 baby loons!

The first egg was laid on April 30th and the second egg was laid on May 2nd.

If we go by the normally accepted incubation time, that means the first egg should hatch on May 28th.  However, if past observation is any guide, I would expect that it might even be a little earlier than that.

This morning in the bright sunlight, let me point out another unique feature of the loons....their red eyes.

On the camera, it is hard to see.  But when they turn their head just the right way in the sunlight, you can see that bright red eye.

They have this coloring only during the breeding season and summer months.  Yet one more special thing that we in the north country are blessed with that most other people do not see in the loons at other times of the year.  The rest of the year the loon's eyes are brown with maybe just a tiny tinge of red.

I have never heard a definitive explanation of why a loon's eyes are red.

There are some researchers who say that it may help them see underwater to be able to catch fish easier.  Without getting into too much detail, for those of you who remember your high school physics you will remember that water filters out different wavelengths of light.  The deeper the water, the more light it filters out until finally all wavelengths of light have been filtered out and it is total darkness at great depths.

The first wavelength to be filtered out is the blue wavelength.  Guess what?!?!  That is why our lakes are blue!  That is the light you see reflected back at you.  One of the names for Minnesota is "The Land of Sky Blue Waters"!

Red is the last wavelength to be filtered out at lower depths.  And so some researchers feel that the red color of the loons eyes is related to this and to help them see better underwater.

Other researchers say not so fast.  We don't think that it is related to that but that it is related to attracting and keeping a mate.  It is almost like a mating display or mating plumage.

I don't know what the answer is.  We will just have to wait and see until researchers agree and can definitively say 'this is what the red eye means'.

In the meantime, we can just enjoy it.  And enjoy these very special birds!

Questions or Comments or Observations?  Post them here or in the Chat Room or send them to LoonCam@yahoo.com

Saturday, May 16, 2009 5:57am CDT

37 degrees Partly Cloudy Wind West 17 mph

On a very chilly and windy morning, our loons have just made their nest exchange.

The wind has been blowing all night long. As it whistled one could only imagine the loons bouncing up and down on the nest in the dark hour after hour. But they did it and once again the nest and the eggs have made it safely through the night.

So many things about loons are so much different than other birds and are so interesting.

Loons are very heavy compared to most other birds. Most birds have hollow bones. This helps them fly by making them lighter if there bones were more solid and therefore heavier.

However, a loon's bones are nearly solid. This is both good and bad for the loon.

It is good because it helps them to dive easier and deeper. With hollow bones, they would act just like a cork that would try to force them to the surface when they went under water. So it very much helps them as they try to catch fish, the main course on their diet. With hollow bones, they would constantly be struggling against a natural buoyancy which would force them to the surface. They would have to use a lot of energy just to struggle to stay underwater.

However, it makes it more difficult for them to fly because their bones are much heavier because they are almost solid. That is part of the reason that a loon has to have a long runway to become airborne. If they do not have that long runway of open water, they are trapped and they will probably die. They will not be able to become airborne.

So a loon will take off in to the wind if they are lucky enough to have a wind. And they will run across the surface of the water while they madly flap their wings. They make use of any and every advantage they can to get into the air.

Their wings are big. They have up to a 5 foot wingspan. But it is just enough to keep their heavy bodies in the air because an adult loon weigh up to 12 pounds.

Some researchers have said that if a loon loses even one or two or three flight feathers, it will be grounded because it cannot generate enough lift to get it airborne and keep it airborne. So they must be very careful not to damage their flight feathers.

Once they are in the air, they are powerful fliers but they can never relax! 

Whereas a lot of birds like eagles and hawks can soar for long periods of time without ever flapping their wings, loons must constantly flap their wings for all they are worth! They cannot soar or glide. They must flap their wings at 260 to 270 beats per minute. Try flapping your arms that fast. You probably can't even do it. But if you can, now do it for one minute and see how tired your arms are. But loons flap their wings like that hour after hour!

You can imagine how much energy that takes and that they must be in very good condition to make their migration trips of a thousand miles or more two times a year! And a loon is a fast flier! They have been clocked up to 70 miles per hour and it is thought that they may be able to fly as fast as 100 miles per hour.

So today, look closely at their wings when you get a chance....especially during the nest change. Or when they flap their wings near the nest.  And look at those wings that they do not use all that often.  But which are vital when they do need them.

Questions or Comments or Observations? Post them here or in the Chat Room or at LoonCam@yahoo.com