Tuesday, May 17, 2011 6:21am CDT

42 degrees  Clear  Wind 2mph E

A calm northern lake.

The sun rising in the east.

A clear sky.

Birds singing their morning song.

A loon on its nest.

And a call off in the distance.

Does life get much better than this?

The simple but yet profound things of life that put so much beauty and wonder around us.  If only we will take the time to stop and marvel at it.  To drink it in.  To savor it.  To appreciate it and say thank you.

We are now almost 2 weeks into the incubation of the first egg - the halfway mark.  One can only wonder what is happening inside those egg shells.  The miracle of something out of nothing.  The miracle of life itself.

The 'normal' date for that egg to hatch would be June 1.  But I would not be surprised at all to see it hatch a day or two earlier than that if all goes well.  The time we all wait for.  The excitement of our first peek at that little ball of black down called a loon chick!

But there are two weeks to go until then.  And a lot can happen in two weeks.  As everyone has seen, the action on the nest can go from zero to flat out at a moment's notice.

Yesterday the loons were off the nest a number of times in the afternoon.

The reason was that there was an immature eagle flying relatively low over the lake, apparently looking for his own meal.

As you know, loons have a long history with eagles and they do not like them at all.

Then last night there was a prolonged confrontation completely with wails and tremolos and yodels and both loons were off the nest for about 20 minutes.

It started with the male broadcasting his yodel in all directions.  A call that carries very well across a lake and even into and over the surrounding woods.  He was going to make sure that anyone and everyone within earshot knew that this was HIS lake.  And he was ready to defend it.

We apparently do have another pair of loons that are nesting on the lake.  Several people have told me about it but I have not tried to go and see the nest for myself.  But it does set up a natural territorial conflict between that pair of loons and 'our' loons.

If the loons can see each other, they will confront each other and fight.  So hopefully they are able to stay out of each others sight and that they do not draw each other off their nests too often.  Some time off the nest is normal.  Too much time off the nest, especially if it is cold or rainy, could cause the eggs to cool and damage them.

I am like everyone else and anytime they are off the nest, I get concerned and 'talk' to them and tell them to get back on the nest.  Normally times off the nest of 20 or 30 minutes is not going to harm the eggs at all.  Right now we are probably at the most vulnerable time for the eggs.  The chicks have started to develop but they are not far enough along in their development that they can generate some of their own heat.

In another week to 10 days, the chick inside the egg can actually generate some of its own body heat to keep itself warm inside the egg.

But today, we watch from a distance.

And wonder at the miracle of life that is going on inside those two eggs!

Questions or Comments?  LoonCam@yahoo.com

I will try to read all emails but because of the volume of emails I will not be able to answer them personally.  I will try to address common questions here in the blog.

Sunday, May 15, 2011 10:16pm CDT

47 degrees   Clear   Wind  Calm

Just when you think you have seen everything, something happens so quickly to threaten our loons that it is hard to comprehend nor prepare for. 

But the loons can never afford to relax for a moment.

They must be alert to danger and ready to respond at a moments notice.

What happened this afternoon was that a kayaker actually ran into the loon nest!

If you want to see the event, here is a short video clip of it from one of our faithful and ever vigilant LoonCam viewers as it actually happened.    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbXQkNnCUlc

There is a longer video clip of it also on YouTube that you can search for by the name "MnBnd 051511 135". 

I heard some voices on the speaker in the house but I did not have the computer on.  By the time I looked with the binoculars, the kayakers were well off to the side of the nest but it seemed as if they were in very close to shore.  I thought they might have paddled inside between the shore and the nest.  I saw that the loon was off the nest.

I went down to the lake to watch and they continued paddling around the lake.

It was only after I read some of the entries in the Loon Chat Room that I realized something may have happened that I had totally missed.  The people who watch the LoonCam and chat in the Loon Chat Room are such a wonderful group of people who have come to understand loons and to care for them deeply.

A little later I got a call from one of the neighbors across the lake.  This neighbor had seen what had happened on the LoonCam and then looked out on the lake and saw the 2 kayakers.  She went looking for them but could not find them.  But then she found them bringing their canoes into the boat landing in the park.

To her credit, as she told me, she gave them a piece of her mind about what they had done.

She said she thought they were a little shaken and to their credit she said they said they were sorry.  But they also said that it was 'just there' before they realized it.  Which as you can see from the video is  not the truth at all.

So I give them credit on one count and take it back on the next!

But I think this is a perfect example of what we talked about in yesterday's blog....'etiquette' around a loon nest.  And obviously these two did not have any of it.

First the two came way too close to the nest and scared the loon off the nest after she had been in full hangover position for sometime.

I give credit to one of the kayakers that he did not come up to the nest.

The second one obviously from the video turned and came directly at the nest.  And he actually hit the corner of the nest with his kayak!

I will give them a little benefit of the doubt.  I do not think they meant anything malicious at all.  It is a case of curiosity and sometimes we love our loons a little too much.  I am as guilty of it as anyone else.  But after years of watching loons closely and now with the intimacy of the LoonCam, I am aware of how we impact them without even knowing it.

We spend little to no time down by the lake while the loons are on the nest.  There are certain things that still need to be done but we limit any other activity, even though the loons seem to know me and tolerate me more than other people.

Even this Memorial Day weekend if the loons are still there, the kids will not be able to go swimming.  I am sure they do not like it but they are very good about trying to understand the reason for it and make the best of it.

Loons are very tolerant of many things....but not close contact.

In the case of the two kayakers, I think it was plain curiosity that made him come directly up to the nest.  Then I think it was inexperience and the wind that made him hit the nest.  I do not think he meant to purposely hit it.

In fact, on the video you can hear him say to his buddy in the other kayak, "I didn't try to hit it!"

So I don't think they meant any harm, it was just curiosity and stupidity.

But what a perfect illustration of what we had just talked about yesterday about keeping a distance from a loon nest.

And then we get two people that give us a first-hand illustration of what NOT to do.

Remind your family and friends to be aware of what to do and what not to do when they are out on the lake.  And this serves as a perfect example.

I am an avid canoer.

I have probably put in a thousand miles or more of wilderness canoing.

Canoers and kayakers always think that we are so much better than big ol' boats.

But do you know what?  Loons are much more sensitive and concerned about canoers and kayakers than they are about boats.  It is hard for me to say that because I was always one who thought we were so much better than other people because we had so little impact on the environment and nature.

I think part of the reason that loons react more to kayaks and canoes than boats is that canoes tend to come much closer to the loons and their nests.  And they move much slower so they tend to spend much more time in close proximity to a loon where a boat just goes racing by.

Share that information with any canoers and kayakers that you know and encourage them to be aware of loons when they are on the water.

About the only thing that loons react to more than a canoe or kayak is a jet ski.  I don't know all the reasons but it is apparently the speed, the fact that jet skis tend to go close to things and there is a loud and high pitched noise from jet ski.

But peace has returned to loonville tonight.

The wind has gone down.  The waves have gone down.  The lake is like a mirror.

And the loon sits calmly and peacefully tonight watching in all directions to see where the next danger is coming from!

But with the clear skies and no wind, they are forecasting the possibility of frost tonight.  This is the winter that just won't quit.  We will see in the morning if the loon is surrounded by frost!

Questions or Comments?  LoonCam@yahoo.com

Saturday, May 14, 2011 11:32am CDT

 

45 degrees   Raining   Wind 13mph  N

 

  

It is wet out there.

 

It is windy out there.

 

It is cold out there.

 

For fishermen, this is not the most pleasant weather to be in a boat, but it can be a good time for fishing.

 

For the loon on the nest, it does not make much difference one way or the other.  They are used to water.  Water is their element.  So whether it is swimming in the water or sitting in the water coming out of the sky, it does not make much difference.  Although I would guess the loon would probably rather be swimming and fishing than sitting on a nest and watching for danger.

 

But for the next few weeks, the call to sit on the eggs and protect them and keep them warm outweighs every other impulse.

 

And so the loon sits.  Hour after hour.  Day after day.

 

Some people have asked about which loon is on the nest and where is the other loon.

 

Loons about equally share nesting duties with the female maybe spending slightly more time on the nest.  Maybe about a 60 to 40 percent ratio.

 

When one loon is on the nest, the other loon is somewhere else on the lake fishing and feeding.

 

Sometimes the other loon is in the same area of the lake where the nest is and other times it may be all the way across the lake or out of sight completely.  But it is ever aware of what is going on around the lake and the possibility of danger.

 

All that is necessary is for there to be an alarm call from its mate on the nest and in minutes it will show up close by.  Ready to deal with any danger that might befall the nest.

 

With the rainy, windy cold weather today, that means that there are fewer fishermen out on the lake.  So that means less stress on the loons from a boat coming too close to the nest.  But tomorrow is forecast to be sunny and 80 degrees and so I expect activity on the lake to pick up markedly.

 

This might be a good time to remind everyone about "etiquette" around loons.

 

In general, do not try to get close to a loon.  That is our natural inclination.  We like them so much we want to be close and to see them up close.  If you stay about 300 feet away from a loon, you will cause very little stress on them.  Especially when they are on the nest it is important to stay this distance from them.  If you get too close to them, they will probably leave the nest.  When they do, that leaves the eggs exposed to the cold and the rain and also leaves them exposed to predators.

 

So remind you fishermen friends to be aware of loons and loon nests and to keep a respectable distance. 

 

Bring a pair of binoculars with you when you go out in the boat and you will be able to get a good view of the loons and yet maintain a distance from them.

 

Let the loon come near you if they want.  Many times if you sit quietly in a boat or canoe, the loon may approach you and swim very close to you.

 

Now having said that, there is one exception.

 

If you are near a nest, the loon may come VERY close to you!  But if he approaches you because he is upset, that is not a good thing.  He may call.  He may splash.  He may make excited dives.  He may do the "penguin dance" which is a sign of high distress and agitation.  The loon actually rises up out of the water by rapidly paddling its feet.  It is trying to make itself look bigger and more formidable to scare you away.

 

 

Unfortunately sometimes when people see the penguin dance or see the loon diving excitedly around them and maybe even swimming right under your boat or your canoe, they think "oh wasn't that nice that the loon wanted to put on a show just for us!"  Well, it isn't a show.  It 'is for you' but the loon is saying you are making me very nervous and I would appreciate it if you would leave.

 

If you see any of these behaviors that indicate agitation, just quietly back away and soon the loons will also settle down and relax.

 

I have seen very few instances where someone purposely did something to harm or harass loons.  Usually it is a case of we "like loons too much" and so we want to get close to them.

 

But if you and your friends just remember to stay a respectable distance away from them, you increase the chances of the loons staying around and also increase the chances that there will be even more loons in the years to come.

 

 

Questions or Comments?  LoonCam@yahoo.com

 

Friday, May 13, 2011 5:57am CDT

 

47 degrees  Cloudy   Wind 9mph  N

 

 

A chilly morning.

 

A lead gray sky.

 

And waves bouncing the loon up and down. 

 

But there he sits.  Faithfully keeping those precious two eggs warm and safe.  Protected under the warmth of his body and his feathers.

 

The next time you see the loon get up and roll the eggs or when there is a nest change, watch to see how the loon settles down on the eggs.

 

As they prepare to settle down on the eggs, they will use their beak to roll both eggs toward the back of their body between their legs.  And then they will do this little 'wiggle' of their rear end to get just the right position on the eggs.

 

Most birds have what is called a 'incubation patch' or a 'brood patch'.  This is an area of bare skin on their breast that allows body heat to be transferred more efficiently to the eggs.  In some birds where only the female incubates the eggs, only the female develops the brood patch.  In other species where both the male and female sit on the eggs, both of them will develop the brood patch.

 

In some birds, a change in hormones when the eggs are laid, makes some of the feathers fall out on their own.  In some birds, the bird helps the brood patch develop by pulling out some of its own feathers.

 

But loons are different.

 

As you have seen, they do not keep the eggs up near their breast.  They keep the eggs near the back of their body.

 

Loons have and/or develop an area near the back of their body that has an abundance of blood vessels close to the surface.  This large amount of blood is what enables them to efficiently warm the eggs without having a brood patch.

 

I still remember last summer when we surgically implanted the satellite transmitters in several loons, that the veterinarian doing the surgery commented how many blood vessels there were in this area.  This is the area where the satellite transmitter was implanted.

 

So when the loon gets on the nest, it carefully rolls the eggs back toward this area.  Then is rocks its body back and forth to make sure that this area makes the maximum amount of contact with the eggs.

 

After it has settled on the eggs, it will lower its wings so that they make contact with the nest.  This effectively seals out the cold air from all sides.

 

But the loon is not done yet!

 

It carefully overlaps its wingtips over each other thereby sealing off any cold air from the back as well.

 

But the loon is still not done making sure that it is providing a nice warm environment for the eggs.

 

As a last step, the loon raises its tail as it crosses the wingtip.  Then when the wingtips are crossed, it lowers its tail feathers effectively 'locking' everything in place.  A very ingenious way of constructing a warm incubator that is impervious to wind and rain and even snow!

 

The egg roll that the loon does when it gets on the nest or when it gets up and moves, also serves another purpose.  If the eggs remained in one position all the time, the egg yolk could gradually rise to the top of the egg.   As the chick developed inside the egg, the blood vessels could actually stick to the shell as they developed.  That would kill the chick.

 

So the loon 'knows' that it has to continually roll the egg to keep that from happening!

 

Watch for each of the little motions the next time you watch one of the loons settle down on the eggs.  Little miracles that for the most part go unnoticed by the casual observer.  Remember, that once again you are watching things that the best researcher around has never had the opportunity to observe this closely.

 

 

 

Questions or Comments?  LoonCam@yahoo.com

 

 

Thursday, May 12, 2011 6:14am CDT

57 degrees  Cloudy  Wind 6mph N

On a cloudy, overcast morning, our loons wait for rain that is predicted today.

There are thunderstorms moving in but at this point nothing is predicted to be severe.  Yesterday's expected severe weather did not develop and the loons were able to spend a quiet day on the nest.

It is hard to believe that we are already one quarter of the way through the incubation period for the first egg, which was laid one week ago last night.  How fast the time goes.  One can only wonder and imagine what is going on inside that egg right now.  In only 3 short weeks, there should be a new little loon chick ready to enter the world!

Right now the nest bounces on small waves, what fishermen in Minnesota would call "a nice walleye chop".

This weekend brings one of the biggest days of the year in Minnesota - Fishing Opener.

In an annual right of spring, upwards of three quarters of a million people head to their favorite lake to go fishing.  Any kind of fish will do but they especially are after the walleye, the Minnesota State Fish.   http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish/walleye/index.html

The increased boat traffic also means that our loons are under increased pressure.

Fishermen who approach too close to a loon nest may scare the loon off the nest and leave the eggs exposed to the weather or predators.  One time off the nest may not have much impact.  But if it happens over and over, the effect can be cumulative and harmful to the developing eggs.

If you are a fisherman, or anyone who spends time on a lake anywhere in the country, there is a good rule of thumb for you when it comes to loons.

If you stay 300 feet away from the nest or loons with chicks, you will have very little adverse effect on them.

The loons will give you clues to let you know if you are too close to them.  Those of you who have watched the LoonCam for even a short time are very familiar with some of those clues.

The first thing a loon will do if a boat or canoe approaches is to slightly lower its head.  It is as if it is saying, if I lower my head they won't see me.

If the boat continues to come closer, the loon will go into what is called "hangover posture".  "Hangover posture involves the loon laying its head and neck right down along the side of the nest.   The loon is telling you that you are much too close and it is very concerned.

The next step beyond the "hangover position" is that the loon will actually leave the nest.  This is when the eggs become vulnerable to weather and predation.  If a loon is scared off the nest too many times, they may actually abandon the nest.

The wonderful thing is that it is VERY rare that someone purposely does something to harm loons.  It seems almost everyone loves this wonderful and unique bird.

But sometimes we can "love them too much".  By wanting to be close to them and see them up close, we may in fact put too much stress on them and inadvertently cause them harm without even knowing it.

That is where the LoonCam is so ideal.  We are able to watch the loon VERY closely and never put them under any stress.   We are able to see and hear things that not even the most accomplished researcher has ever seen or heard in the wild.  And never once causing stress on the loon.

So if you are a fisherman or if you know a fisherman, remind them to be aware of loons that are nesting at this time of year and to keep a respectful distance (300 feet) from them.  The loons will be much more relaxed and able to raise a new generation of loon chicks.  And everyone else will be able to enjoy the call of the loon for many years to come.

One of the other things that we fishermen can do to help our loons involves the fishing tackle that we use.

Most fishermen, including me, use lead weights and jigs.  There is no problem with that....UNTIL we lose them.

Loons pick small stones off the bottom of the lake which then act as 'grinders' of their food in their gizzards.  Loons do not know the difference between stone and lead.  And so if there is a lead sinker laying on the bottom of the lake, the loon may very well pick that lead sinker up thinking it is a stone.

All it takes is one small lead weight to give the loon lead poisoning and to kill it.

Just one more of the many challenges and dangers that loons face.  So more and more fishermen are replacing their lead tackle with lead-free tackle.  It is a good start but we have a long way to go.

So once again today enjoy this great view that the LoonCam gives you of this magnificent bird.  And remind your fishing friends to watch for loons and to keep a respectful distance away from them.

Questions or Comments?     LoonCam@yahoo.com