Thursday, May 28, 2009 5:18am CDT

40 degrees Clear Wind NNW 3mph

First of all, for those of you are checking in this morning to see if we have a chick...or two

WE HAVE A SECOND BABY LOON!!!

As of about 8:50pm last night, the loon let us see a new second chick just emerging from the egg. Still wet! But struggling to move and be active. But a new chick. As new as new can get!

So all of the loons patience and faithful care of the eggs has paid off with yet another chick!

This morning is a moody morning on the lake.

Banks of fog drift across the lake in the cool early morning light. What Sigurd Olson used to call the horses of Lac la Croix because they looked like the flowing manes of galloping horses. So this morning the loons are seeing the "horses" of their lake running in the chill morning air.

But all is well.

There is a healthy second chick under the loon on the nest.

And the other loon floats nearby with its charge, the first chick, tucked safely under its wings.

Once again one can only wonder, does it get any better than this?!?!

As the first rays of the rising sun now touch the loon on the nest, the second chick peeks out from under a wing. What is going through its mind as it sees the sun for the first time? And feels its warmth on its downy black body? A body so small and vulnerable. But so active.

Or does anything go through its mind? Oh to know the answers to the great imponderable questions!

But all that is really important at this point is that we have two loon chicks. Two healthy loon chicks.

Two healthy and active loon chicks.

And our second chick is getting his first look at all that is new and wonderful and scary in this new world. Almost as if it is too much to take it all in, he scrambles back under the safety of the wing. Only to reappear a few minutes later for another look. Trying to take it all in. Once again to disappear back under the wing. The only place that he has really known over the few short hours of its life during the dark of night.

This is what the loons have put all their attention and effort into making happen. It is what so many of you have invested countless hours watching the webcam to see. Now it is here. Now it is successful. Now we can relax. Or can we?

For now begins the most vulnerable and dangerous time for our little chicks. The first two or three weeks are the weeks that they remain at risk from so many dangerous things in this big new world that they have entered.

But for us, we can just revel in the fact that we have two beautiful little chicks. Healthy and active. Something out of nothing.

So enjoy these moments. Enjoy them to their fullest and remind yourself what a wonderful world we live in. And how we have been given the gift of special moments like this ifwe will only pause long enough to see them. To see what is really important in life. To see life itself!

All other things fade into insignificance.

You might want to watch for one other thing today. It may be one of the last times you get a chance to see it this year while the loons are still on the nest. In the bright sunshine that is forecast for today, look especially at the coloring of the loons head and the black collar around its neck.

At first glance they appear just jet black.

But watch. As the sun strikes them just right, they are not a simple black at all. Notice that the head had a distinct green iridescence to it. The light has to be just right to see it. But if you watch you will see it.

But even more amazing, watch the black collar around the loons neck.

In just the right light, it is a spectacular turquoise green! Not black at all but a stunning turquoise! A turquoise necklace befitting royalty.

People wonder why loons are so special. And why this LoonCam has become such a worldwide phenomena. Would there be the same interest and wonder if it were a camera on a duck nest. Or a turkey nest. It seems that there is something about the loons that is so special that it stirs something deep inside us. Even people who have never seen a loon before. Or especially heard a loon. What can ever wipe from our memory the sound of a loon call echoing across some still northern lake at night.

I mentioned in the blog last night about preparing yourself for the almost inevitable fight between the chicks. The establishment of the "pecking order". I hope it won't happen because it is hard to watch. But I know that there is a high probability that it will happen. And I just want you to be prepared for it. It can be jarring.

Here we have the perfect picture this morning. All is well with the world. The sun shines brightly. We have two healthy chicks. Can anything intrude on this picture of perfection. And then the fight starts.

I would guess that it will happen if the first chick gets up on the nest and realize that it has competition for mom and dad's attention. Or when the second chick gets in the water for the first time next to the first chick.

They will probably fight and fight and fight. It will look like they are going to tear each other apart. And there is a slight danger of injury. But it usually lasts for 5 to 10 minutes and as soon as it started, it stops. Never to be repeated as far as what I have observed.

What is the purpose of it? Add it to your list of questions to ask God the next time you talk to him. Some scientists feel that establishing a dominance is important in times when food is scarce. That the survival of one chick is better than losing both. But there is a part of me that says that there is even a deeper meaning. One too deep for me to understand.

On a personal note, let me apologize for not being available when the cam went down yesterday afternoon. Reading the messages this morning I know that many of you were panicking. Yesterday I had some minor surgery and so if people had been able to find us, I would have been totally out of it and of not much help anyway. So I am glad that Travis and the neighbors were able to be very creative and get the problem fixed for you. This is one of the few times this year that the problem could only be fixed with the video server  here on site. So I apologize.

Now for what to expect over the next few days.  I would guess that by the end of the day the second chick will be off the nest and in the water.  If not before.  They may return to the nest but it will be rare.  You will see them swimming into view around the nest once in a while but will gradually venture farther and farther away.  We will leave the cam running for a while so that you can get that occasional glimpse of our wonderful loon family.  And to give you a chance to go through withdrawal.  But we are coming close to the end of the saga on cam for this year.

What a wonderful experience it has been.  And how wonderful each of you has been to share it with us and to share it with your family and friends.  God bless each and every one of you!

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

Wednesday, May 27, 2009 9:05pm CDT

Well, as many of you already saw when she got off the nest shortly before 9pm

WE HAVE CHICK #2!!!!

The first chick has made it through the first night and is doing well inspite of challenges along the way.  Now it faces its second night with a new brother or sister!

And the new chick is new enough and still wet out of the egg that it will probably stay safely under the adult all night long.

But now as darkness falls, I do need to alert you to one thing....or even warn you about it.

I would guess that  sometime tomorrow you will see a fight between the two chicks!  A knock-down-drag-out fight!!

I have seen it almost every year that we have had two chicks.

It is hard to watch because it looks like they are going to kill each other.  But in each of the instances I have observed it, both chicks have survived.

As best I can guess, I think it is what we so nonchalantly call "the pecking order".  Although in this case it is literally the PECKING order.

I will maybe say something more about it in tomorrow morning's blog.  But I wanted to give you a heads up so that it didn't shock you when you saw it.

So now we have the wonder of TWO LITTLE LOON CHICKS!!!  How amazing is that?!?!

Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:41am CDT

46 degrees Cloudy Wind N 8mph

Was yesterday enough of a roller-coaster ride for you?!!!

After all that happened last evening, I thought I would be able to relax. Knowing the chick was safe and both parents were there. But little did I know that shortly after darkness fell, the alarm calls from both loons would start again. They called over and over. Endlessly.  My mind immediately thought the worst.

They must have lost the chick in the darkness. To who knows what great evil that lurked in the black night!

And they called and they called.

At least in the light I could see what was going on!

In the darkness I could not see anything. But I sure could think the worst.

I finally could not take it any longer and shut the window and the door to shut out the sound. I told myself that it was because the wind had picked up and because it had turned colder. But as much as anything, it was to shut out the sound of those calls. To try to forget what might be happening out on a dark, cold, windy lake. To a little loon who had not even spent a full day in this new world yet.

To a little loon who had already seen more than was fair.

So you can imagine what a relief it was at first light this morning to catch that first glimpse of our new little chick.  And to see that he had made it through the long dark night!  That he was alive and ok.

One loon was on the nest.  And the other loon was swimming next to the nest with the little chick swimming next to it.

Almost immediately the loon on the nest, who had probably spent most of the night there, seemed very anxious to get off the nest.  So (s)he dove off and the other one got up on the nest.  But instead of staying with the chick, the loon dove and swam far away from the nest!

Our little chick was once again swimming around the nest.  Around and around.  Trying to get up on the nest and not being able to.  And the loon on the nest once again started calling.  Over and over as the chick swam on his own.

NO!

No, no, no!

I cannot go through this again!

What is this?  The movie "Ground Hog Day"?!!

Are we doomed to repeat this scenario and concern over and over and over?

The swimming loon seemed to pay no attention.  What kind of a parent are you?  Get over here!  Let this little chick ride on your back before some big fish gets him.  But no matter how much I thought that thought, it didn't help.  I guess my loon clairvoyance was not working this morning, because the loon sure was not getting the message.

And the calling continued.  And the chick kept swimming.  And I was sure that bass and northerns were lurking nearby.  Just waiting for breakfast.

And our chick swam and swam.  All on his own.  So lonely.  So vulnerable.  So heart-breakingly cute.

But then as if by an unseen hand, he was on the nest!  A combination of a jump and an opportune wave coming along at just the right time, up he went on the nest.  And he scampered under the wing of his parent!  Safe and sound.  And hopefully warm and protected.  And able to get some well-deserved rest!

Now will you all just stay there?  I can't take much more of this.

And NOW the other loon comes swimming up to the nest.  Oh sure, NOW you show up!  Where were you when the chick needed you just a few minutes ago?!?!

How we project our feelings onto the loons.  How we think we know what they should do.  How we know better than they do of how they should respond.  How we anthropomorphize.

So now we have one safe little loon under the wing on the nest.  And also one egg under the wing on the nest.

During the "shift change", I got a partial view of the second egg.

It did not look like there were any holes or cracks.  But it was so quick and so incomplete a view that I could not be sure.

Today may very well be the day that the second egg hatches.  Even though they were laid 2 1/2 days apart, they sometimes hatch closer to each other than that.  It is sometimes called catch-up.  Where the second chick develops quicker than the first.  Once again, one of those great imponderable questions!  How can that be?  How does that work?

A friend of mine, who is one of the bird experts with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, has been an invaluable help in this whole project.  And he feels that the chicks actually communicate with each other while they are still in the eggs and that it somehow may speed up the development of the second chick.  Sort of like your second child learning to talk and do so many other things earlier and quicker than the first.  Because he has a "small teacher" who speaks his language!

Who knows if that is the reason.  But sometimes the second egg hatches sooner.

Just simply based on when they were laid and when the first one hatched. one would expect the second one to not hatch until tomorrow night.  But I would not be at all surprised to see it hatch even yet today!

Once again we wait.

Once again we watch.

And once again we try to keep our heartbeat in check.

Several of you have talked about you need some medication for your mental well-being in this whole drama that is unfolding before our eyes.  So have it handy today.  Who knows what today will bring.

Who would have thought last night that we would have had the drama we had after a perfect day for a perfect little chick to be born into a perfect world?!  And then an eagle and some wind and some cold and some things that go bump in the night turned the chick's world upside down for a while.  And in the process caused our hearts and our minds to do unbelievable flip-flops and contortions!

But through it all, we are once again reminded of the wonder of it all.  The magnificence of life.  The amazing work of creation of life out of nothingness.   But how sometimes that life hangs by such a fragile strand.

So today, buckle your seat-belts.  It may be a bumpy ride.

But bumpy or not, it will be enough to take your breath away!  With wonder.  With fear.  With amazement.  With surprises.  With heart-stopping concern.  With unbelievable joy.  With a renewed sense of awe of life and creation and the beautiful world that we live in and with all that we are given.

Questions or Comments or Observations?  Post them here or in the Chat Room or send them to LoonCam@yahoo.com.  I am trying to get through all of them and respond where a response is called for.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009 8:02pm

57 degrees Cloudy and rain Wind N10mph

I know from all the new messages that you all have been watching and wondering and concerned about what has been going on.

ME TOO!!

First of all, there is a little bit of rain right now and the wind has switched directions and picked up. And the temperature has dropped significantly.

OK, here is what has been happening. Forgive me, I am not sure of the times. I just know it was TOO long!

I had been outside working when I heard several wails. I went to look to see what was going on and came just in time to see an eagle fly over. Not circle. Just fly over. But as we have talked about before, it was an eagle. And that was enough to really upset and alarm the loons.

But they settled down fairly quickly after the eagle was gone.

So I went back to what I was doing only to hear calls a little while later. As I came to check to see what was going on, the neighbor was coming over. She asked me, "Did we lose him?"

Since I had not been watching, I was not sure what was going on. And she didn't know that the chick was in the water already. All she knew was that the loon had been off the nest and the other loon was way out in the lake and that the eagle was circling. She had looked at her computer before she came over and saw an empty nest with one egg and no chick!

So she thought the eagle had taken the other chick!

I told her that the chick had gotten in the water a few hours ago and had been with the loon in the water.

But when we looked for the other loon, we could not see it anywhere.

And the loon on the nest kept up this constant long mournful, even painful, calling.

There was no other loon to be seen. And even of more concern to me was that there was no answer from out on the lake! And I could not believe that the loon would have taken the chick that far from the nest! Especially if it was being stalked by an eagle!

Then we saw the little ball of down swimming mightily around the nest. And trying to get up on the nest.

(Just now, the loon has once again left the nest and there is a lot of alarm calling by both loons. It is 8:20pm But just as quickly, the loon is back up on the nest and things seem to have calmed down again.)

Try as he could, he could not make it back up on the nest.

And he swam and he swam and he swam! Around and around and around the nest. In about 10 minutes, he must have done at least 20 laps around the nest.

And the whole while, the loon on the nest kept up the most plaintive, painful wailing!

It was hard to watch. And even harder to listen to. She watched the chick swim around and around. And she wailed and wailed.

But there was no response from the other loon. The lake was silent. I could not figure out why the other loon did not at least answer. And the mournful wailing went on as the chick circled and circled and circled.

We even talked about the possibility that the eagle had taken the other loon!

I did not see any of that second encounter so I did not know what to think. A little earlier when they had been calling during the first eagle flyover, there had been a loon someplace on the other side of the lake that answered with a tremolo alarm call. So I knew that there was a third loon on the lake. And that can be as dangerous as the eagle.

I came so close to violating one of my cardinal rules.

In all of this with setting up and maintaining the nest, I have told myself that I will not interfere. Whatever happens, happens. Nature should take its course.

But watching that little newborn chick swim around and around all alone on a big lake in cold winds, was almost more than I could take. And with the loon on the nest wailing and wailing, it was surreal.

I talked about if something didn't happen soon, I might go down and try to rescue the chick and put him back up on the nest. I knew that by doing so the other loon could very well come after me and try to attack me. And I knew that I could be stabbed!! But it was almost too much to watch without doing something. ANYTHING!

I was so concerned that we would see a big swirl as a fish came and ate the little loon as he swam around the nest!  We lost a chick 3 years ago and I think a northern or a bass took it.  I couldn't bear the thought of watching that happen to our little chick.

Then we saw a loon come flying in from the left. But the loon on the nest kept calling. And the chick kept swimming. And the other loon landed out some distance from the nest but did not come in towards the nest!

Could it be that this was the third loon I had heard earlier?!!

If it was, we could rapidly go from bad to worse! Out of the frying pan into the fire. Because if it was a third loon coming in, an intruder, it would probably kill the little chick swimming so valiantly around the nest. He made no call in response to the calls of  the one on the nest. Which led me to believe that it could very well be an intruder loon drawn to all the commotion!

And then he started swimming toward the nest!

What was going to happen?!

But when he got to the nest and the chick, there was no attack!  He found the chick and swam over to it.  I held my breath!  But then he let the chick climb up on his back.  It must be our loon.  After another minute or two, the loon on the nest quit the terribly painful mournful call.

We have wanted to bring you sound.  And we still want to do that in the future.

But trust me!  THIS is one time you did NOT want to hear that sound!  It was SO hard to listen to.  And went on for SO long.  And was so painful.

But now as we get ready for darkness, it seems as if we have made it through this incident.

The chick is riding on the back of the loon.  The other loon is on the nest taking care of the egg.  And for right now, everything seems to be ok.  But our little loon sure has already had more than his share of adventures and challenges.  But there will be more to come.  Let us hope that by morning light, we still have one small little loon and maybe a second one pecking his way out of the egg!

For those of you who asked, the little loon will probably spend the night riding on the parent's back.  There he will be safe from predators under the water and will be able to keep a little warmer.  But nothing is guaranteed.  And nothing can be taken for granted.

I told the others who had watched this ordeal, "I am not sure if I can do this another year!  I don't think my heart can take it!"   lol

So once again, we watch and we wait.  And we pray and we hope.  The innocence and beauty of this little chick tug at your heart strings and you want nothing bad to happen to him.  So we will see what morning light brings.  A long dark night lies ahead.

But for now, we have one healthy (but tired) chick, one egg and two very faithful adults.  Adults who must be vigilant every second of every minute of the day.  Things can change so quickly!

Tuesday, May 26, 2009 5:52pm CDT

The first baby loon is IN THE WATER!!!

The loon in the water sat by the nest and the baby jumped/fell in.

The loon on the nest got off the nest and joined the its mate and baby in the water and swam off a little ways.  The second egg is laying on the nest exposed.  There is no obvious hole or crack in the second egg but there may be something on the other side or underside that are out of view.