Sunday, April 22, 2012 9:18pm CDT

Travis Frank April 22, 2012

43 degrees Partly Cloudy Absolutely Calm

I have just come inside after sitting watching the loons. For almost an hour, the male has been near the nest. [But if it makes you feel any better, even if we were able to have a wider camera range you would not have seen him. He remained just out of camera range.] I was driven in by the darkness and by the chill in the air.

There have been several more territorial fights today although I have been gone for a good share of the day so I did not see all of what went on.

Shortly after I posted this morning's entry, there was a full-fledged confrontation similar to the two "chase videos" I gave you.

The 'good' part of this is that the loons definitely have taken ownership of the nest and are trying to defend it.

The 'bad' part is that they use up a lot of energy that they need to lay eggs, hatch and raise their chicks. And there is always the possibility that they may be driven off the nest and a new pair of loons take over. I think this actually happened in 2010.

Tonight as I was watching the one loon float peacefully near the nest, suddenly he was on high alert.

I hadn't seen or heard anything but obviously he had.

Just like that another loon surfaced right next to him.

Immediately both loons went into full penguin dance postures. Their bright white breasts only inches from each other. What a spectacular sight. Then one of the loons started rowing across the top of the water as fast as he could go, tremoloing as he went. The other one followed for a very short distance and then settled back down.

But the pursued kept rowing across the surface as fast as he could even though he was no longer being pursued. Most of the way out to the middle of the lake Where he was joined by what must be his mate.

The other loon returned near the platform where he kept his watch.

But where was his mate?

No where to be seen. Even though I had seen two pairs swimming on the other side of the lake earlier in the afternoon.

Now I am confused. Who is who? Which ones are "our loons"? Who are the others? And 'who is on first'?!

It is like watching a boxing match with two identical twins facing each other.

But they at least wear different color and style of trunks. In this case, the 'boxers' wore identical black and white and spotted and striped 'trunks'.

So as darkness fell, one loon kept a vigil by the nest.

I know better than to wonder too much and get all upset wondering if the mate to this one is ok. And where is she. But I know what I should do. And I know what my heart and emotions tell me to do. And right now they are winning. I cannot help but wonder if the mate to this loon by the nest is ok. And is this even 'our loon'. Or is this an intruder who has already carried out a palace coup?

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and other mystery writers have written no better mysteries.

We will just have to wait and see what the next chapter of this mystery reveals to us!

Comment or Questions? LoonCam(at)yahoo(dot)com

Sunday, April 22, 2012 6:13am CDT

Travis Frank April 22, 2012

40 degrees F Cloudy Wind 5mph NE

Sunrise Today 6:14am Sunset 8:08pm

Our two loons swim together, not far from the nest.

Their heads are held high. On alert. Both of them looking the same direction.

What has their attention is hard to tell. But based on the last couple of days, they are most likely on alert for other loons on the lake.

During most of the year, they are able to get along with other loons just fine. But at this time of the year, during nesting time, another male loon in the area can be a grave threat. So they are wise to be on alert.

I have not heard any yodels or tremolos so that is hopefully good news.

Yesterday was not the first time there was a territorial face off. Nor, I am sure, will it be the last. It is an everyday part of a loon's life. If you have not seen the two videos I posted on last night's blog of two territorial chases, you may want to check them out. They are not videos of our loons chasing but they are loons on other lakes chasing each other. I would encourage you to go back and look at them. It will help you see and understand what goes on during a territorial chase. They are very interesting (and even fun in a way) to watch.

As if we needed any more drama, last night a couple of our faithful watchers saw something and one of them captured something spectacular. Go check it out in the Chat Room at the 4:20am mark.

Some of the willow branches intended to keep the eagles away from the nest, actually drew another visitor to check out the nest. And those willow branches are now gone because of that visitor.

There was a BEAVER on the nest last night!

A number of years ago before we were on the web with the Loon Cam and before we had night vision, I had suspected a beaver of being up on the nest. But I did not know for sure. I could only surmise. Now this is the first time that we have proof of it with pictures.

When it happened a few years ago, I knew some of the willow branches had disappeared but I did not know why. I didn't know if a storm had taken them or what.

Only after the season was over, did I discover a clue when I went out to pull the nesting platform in to shore.

Some of the branches had gnaw marks on them and they had been cut off cleanly about 10 to 12 inches above the nest. I suspected a beaver at that time but I did not have any proof. As I looked at it, I also thought about a muskrat gnawing them off. But muskrats tend to go more toward cattails and cattail roots whereas beavers go after the sweet bark of some trees. Especially poplar trees. That is like candy to them.

But these are willows, not poplars. So it might be like sweet corn instead of candy. Not the favorite but surely still likeable.

In addition to the gnawing marks on those branches many years ago, where they were gnawed off was too high for a muskrat. But it would have been perfect height for a beaver sitting there gnawing.

And now we have photographic proof of a beaver having been up on the platform. And some of the willow branches are missing this morning. I missed all of that. I went to bed about an hour before the beaver showed up. I think I am glad I missed it or I wouldn't have gotten any sleep wondering what was going on out on the nest!

But we still have our camera cables!

That is my biggest concern. Either a muskrat or a beaver could make short work of gnawing through the cables at any time. And then our viewing for the year would be over.

So enjoy the pictures of the beaver on the nest. Especially look at the last picture where you can see the loon swimming near the nest while the beaver eats some of the willow branches.

We still have the willow branches on the other corner of the nest. He did not take those. So we still have some protection from an eagle swooping directly down on the nest. But that is also the corner where the camera and infrared light cables come down. So we don't need him being in that area.

What will today bring?

Your guess is as good as mine.

This is truly "reality tv"!

Will we have more territorial battles? In all likelihood 'yes'.

Will we have more beaver and muskrat visits? Probably. But we just have to hope that they do not do any damage to the video or light cables.

What next? A raccoon? A mink?

Both of them could be a danger to the loons and the eggs.

Even though both are capable of swimming out to the raft, the likelihood that they would is fairly small. The mink would be more apt to do so than the raccoon I think. And I did see a very large mink going along the shore right here a few days ago.

Raccoons are one of the greatest predators of loon eggs in nests that are built on shore. That is one of the reasons that loons seem to like a floating nest like this ... it gives them some added protection from land based predators like raccoons and mink and weasels.

So what will it be today that adds even more drama?

Will it be other loons? Eagles? Raccoon? Mink?

You take your choice.

I can do without any drama for a few days.

Other than the drama of an egg being laid.

Comments or Questions? LoonCam(at)yahoo(dot)com

Saturday, April 21, 2012 7:06 pm CDT

Travis Frank April 21, 2012

44 degrees Cloudy and Rain Wind 5mph SE

For now, peace reigns on the lake.

There have been light rain showers most of the afternoon under a gray, leaden sky.

There have been some thunderstorms in the state with at least one tornado warning. But it doesn't look like any of that will make it here to the lake and to our loons. It is just too cold for severe storms to pop up. In fact, a little further north there have been snow showers again today. But it has been a dusting with no significant accumulation like there was earlier in the week in some areas of the northern part of the state.

Ahhhhhh, Minnesota. The "Theatre of Seasons"!

If you don't like the weather, hang around for five minutes!

The quiet rain and weather today has not been matched by the action on the lake.

For most of the day, since early this morning there have been territorial battles going on.

I mentioned when I signed off this morning that I was going to go check things out to see what was going on. We have at least one other pair of loons on the lake.

When I went to check this morning, there was our pair of loons in a face off with another male loon. They were in full fledged confrontation with splashing and chasing and diving and even penguin dances with both loons up in the penguin position at the same time facing each other.

While they were facing each other and calling and yodeling and the female was tremoloing, I heard another loon from the other side of the lake also making a tremolo call. So that is how I know that there were at least four loons on the lake today .... the three I could see and the other one calling from across the lake.

That has been happening off and on all day long.

For my own well being and the need to get other things done, I have chosen not to watch most of it too closely today. Other than to be aware of what was going on.

I mentioned the chase that was happening early this morning which started all of this. I know it is hard to visualize what that kind of chase is like so here are a couple videos that show you exactly that type of behaviour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLIussZPd8k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zWnBgCTeZM

It is absolutely amazing when you see such a chase. When you don't know what it is, it is pretty fun to watch. But it is deadly serious to the loons.

So now you can see a little of what has been happening off and all day.

I am not sure what kind of effect this has on the egg laying. So many things that we do not know.

I was in a meeting all day yesterday and then a hospital visit last night, so it was very late and after dark before I got home.

When I logged onto the cam, I fully expected to see a loon on the nest in the night vision. And with the behaviour the previous day, it would not have surprised me if the first egg had been laid yesterday while I was gone.

But it was not to be.

So we wait.

Our loons are out on the lake peacefully swimming right now in the rain.

They know what is going on. We don't. We can only wait until they show us what is going on.

So much drama.

Now is not the time to miss a minute of it!

Comments or Questions? LoonCam(at)yahoo(dot)com

Saturday, April 21, 2012 6:15am CDT

Travis Frank April 21, 2012

42 degrees F Cloudy Wind 7mph SE

The loons have already been up on the nest this morning and mated once again but have left the nest.

Right now there is something happening that is not good.

One loon is chasing another!

I am not sure which one is which but this looks like a territorial battle and chase. Both loons are scurrying across the surface of the water as fast as their legs and wings can propel them. Round and round. Back and forth.

A couple days ago, I saw a single "intruder" loon most of the way across the lake. "Our" loons swam over to check him out but I did not see any confrontation.

Yesterday morning as I was leaving for a meeting, my neighbor met me in the driveway saying that two loons were fighting near the nest. Unfortunately I did not have any time to come back and observe what was going on. So I do not know for sure what happened there. [I did not get home until late last night so I have not had a chance to read the chatroom to see what anyone posted about yesterday.]

But right now the chase is on.

I would be thoroughly enjoying the spectacle and laughing at them if I did not know how serious something like this was.

Back and forth they are going. Chasing each other.

It is this kind of confrontation that can lead to a change of territory among loons.

Or worse, can lead to injury.

Right now, I want to go watch what is going on. I will try to write more later today ... although I probably won't be able to tell you definitively who 'won' and who 'lost'.

Comments or Questions? LoonCam(at)yahoo(dot)com

Friday, April 20, 2012 5:51am CDT

Travis Frank April 20, 2012

33 degrees F Clear Wind 7mph N

Will this be the day?

One of these days, the loon will get on the nest and by the time she leaves the world will have changed.

There will be a loon egg on the nest.

Right now the loons swim nearby the nest. There is a call from another loon flying overhead.

Will she get up on the nest? Will it be more nest building? Will it be mating? Or will this be the time that there is an egg?

We are getting close.

Last night she was on the nest several times and each time she was more and more serious about nest building. So we are closer but how do you tell how close? How do you know which time will be "the time"? The only way is to continue to watch. Be ready to tell your family and friends that "now" is the time to quickly come to the computer and watch.

Here are a few hints of what to watch for.

When she gets up on the nest, she will go about her usual routine of using her feet to dig the nest bowl deeper. And she will pull in more nesting material from around her with her beak.

But she will be more active. More restless. More unsettled.

She may sort of "climb up on the edge of the nest". You will see body movements and 'spasms'. She may spread her wings to steady herself. It will be quite obvious that something different is going on. She is working hard. There is a very large egg moving down through her body.

And then it will happen.

All of a sudden an egg will almost pop out.

This whole procedure may go very quickly. Or it could be quite drawn out.

Many of you who have watched before will remember that she struggled mightily to lay that first egg. And then after she had laid it, she just laid there hardly moving for almost half an hour. I became very concerned that she had possibly injured herself in what was obviously a hard delivery of the egg. But she recovered and left the nest for a swim as the egg remained behind.

When it came time for her to lay the second egg, the whole procedure went very quickly.

What will happen this year?

Only time will tell.

And the only way to not miss it is to keep watching. Tell your family and your friends that we are getting close.

Comments or Questions? LoonCam(at)yahoo(dot)com

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