Saturday, April 28, 2012 5:31am CDT

Travis Frank April 28, 2012

46 degrees Cloudy Wind 6mph NNE Sunrise 6:05am Sunset 8:16am

In the early morning twilight, two loons sit vigil near the nest.

Both of them have their beaks tucked under their wings, sleeping.

But for a loon it is never a very deep sleep. Danger does not allow that. At any moment they need to be wide awake and ready for anything that comes.

But for now, they are able to relax and get some sleep as they float on the small waves.

The temperature did not get as low as was forecast and so there has been no snow overnight so far. "But wait 5 minutes!"

The forecast for today is for a chilly spring day with rain and a high of 48 degrees, just about where it is now. So maybe there is hope that the temperature will be higher than forecast today also.

For now we have to be satisfied with the occasional time that they actually visit the nest to be able to see them. Those times will gradually increase until the day that the first egg is laid. From that time forward, almost anytime you look at the nest you will see one of the loons. For the next four weeks they will be nest bound until the most exciting day of all. The day we get our first glimpse of a little chick peeking out from under mama or papa loon.

I know that there are some who wish that we had a wider view of the lake and surroundings. But this is as far back as this camera can be pulled. It is what it is. The important part is to not miss anything on the nest. For what it is worth, at least 75% of the time when you do not see a loon around the nest, they are actually no where to be seen. Most of the other 25%, they are either out of range of the camera or on the 'back side' of the camera. I know that may be small consolation but hopefully it is some consolation. It is not as if they are 'just up off the edge of the camera if only we could see more'.

But I sure understand your desire to see more.

I would invite you over but I am sorry that I do not have room for everybody!

I want to thank so many of you who are so wonderfully concerned about the security of the loon nest.

It is not that it is some big secret. But since the LoonCam has become so well known world wide and watched by so many thousands upon thousands of people, we have chosen not to openly publicize its location. All it takes is one goofball to decide they want to do something. Fortunately goofballs usually are pretty lazy and if information is not put right in front of their face they will not take the effort to find information.

So thank you for your concern. It is very much appreciated. The loons have enough to worry about with one more thing.

Let me say a quick word about the different calls that a loon makes since we have not explained them yet. We have talked about different calls but have not explained what they mean.

As the audience grows when the eggs are laid, I will try to remember to repeat this information for everyone. But now you can become the expert before your friends know about it.

Loons make 4 basic calls:

1. The WAIL. This is a long undulating call that simply says to another loon, "I am here. Where are you?"

2. The TREMOLO. This is a call of concern. Something has caught the loon's attention and it either does not like it or it is concerned about it.

3. The YODEL. This call is the highest stress call that a loon makes. It is made only by the male loon. Much of the time when it is used, it is a territorial call and warning to other loons to stay away.

4. The HOOT. This call is a very quiet call and is used when loons are sitting close to each other or when adults are with their chicks.

LInks to recordings of all 4 calls can be found on the MNBound.com homepage in the "Loon Cam FAQS" page. There you can hear actual recordings of all 4 calls so that you know what they sound like.

There is a lot more to be said about calls but let that basic information cover it for now.

One of the biggest questions everyone has is 'Have the eggs been laid yet.' The answer to that is no.

The next biggest question is 'When will the eggs be laid?' The answer to that is I don't know.

All we can say for certainty is that we are one day closer than we were yesterday.

We are well within the 'normal range' of dates for egg laying. So there is no need for concern yet. I have gotten some reports of some loons that are already nesting. But then loons further north may not nest for another month yet.

So all we can do is be patient.

Nothing we do or say can speed things up for the loons.

We are simply spectators in this great drama of nature. This watching the Miracle of Life.

The loons are the ones who are in control.

So get another cup of coffee. Or tea. Or hot chocolate. Or popcorn. Or whatever you like.

And sit back and enjoy one of nature's most beautiful and enigmatic birds.

And enjoy the drama.

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

Friday, April 27, 2012 6:24am CDT

Travis Frank April 27, 2012

32 degrees F Partly Cloudy Calm

Sunrise 6:06am CDT Sunset 8:15pm

There are scattered areas of frost on a cool, crisp Minnesota morning.

A couple loons have flown over this morning and then landed.

Our loons? "Intruder" loons?

Who knows? I have totally lost track of who is who.

A couple people in the chat room who have been closely and faithfully observing have said they think that two or maybe three different females have tried to use the nest. I don't know what to tell you. If that is true, it is the first time I have ever seen it on this nest although I am sure it has happened and does happen in the wild at times.

There was also an observation a couple nights ago by one of the viewers of a loon being attacked by another loon as it was halfway on the nest. If that was accurate, and I have no reason to believe it wasn't, that must have been an "intruder" loon trying to get on the nest.

I have said it several times before - most of the time I cannot distinguish one loon from another.

About all I can say for sure is that we DO have more than two loons on the lake. I have seen at least one other pair and maybe even an additional single loon. But the single loon is a 'maybe'.

A pair of loons swam around the nest a little while ago but did not get up on the nest that I saw.

Obviously the big question on everyone's mind is when there will be eggs and when the first egg will be laid and is it too late and a thousand and one other questions.

Only God and the loons know for sure and neither one has told me the answer yet.

But let me put your minds at ease as much as I can. I looked back over the last few years to see when the eggs were laid. I didn't look at all the years that we have done this particular nest but here are the last four years:

2008 Egg #1 May 10 Egg #2 May 12

2009 Egg #1 April 30 Egg #2 May 2

2010 Egg #1 May 5 Egg #2 May 7

2011 Egg #1 May 4 Egg #2 May 6

So we are well within the "normal" time frame and limits for this nest, whatever they are.

This particular nest has usually been about a month earlier than loons nesting up along the Canadian border or in Canada or even most loons in New England. I have no explanation of why. Yet one more of the mysteries.

So as of yet, there is no need for concern about the timing of them laying the eggs or that it is too late. It definitely is not too late.

The most important part is that they settle the territorial boundaries so that all of the loons can settle down and get on with their nesting activity.

Having said that, let me give you a few hints of what to watch for when it actually is time for the loon to lay its first egg.

Typically they will start to spend more and more time around and on the nest. There will be more intense nest building activity while they are on the nest.

Then one of the times she is on the nest you will see small twitches and an "uncomfortable" look. Gradually she will crawl up on the side of the nest bowl. She may spread her wings and even her feet a little, as if to brace herself.

You will see "pulsations" of the body. It must be as the egg is being moved down through the egg canal.

The actual laying of the egg will usually happen very quickly - it will almost just pop out. If you turn your head for a second, you may miss it. It happens that fast most of the time.

If you are fortunate enough to see it, you will have the privilege of seeing something that researchers of the past could only dream about seeing. A number of years ago we were actual to catch the laying of the egg on tape and as far as any of us know, that was the first time that an actual laying of a wild loon egg had ever been captured on tape.

In the past, researchers could only guess the approximate time or date that eggs were laid. Now with the Loon Cam and with such faithful observers, we usually know the exact minute it was laid.

Loons usually lay two eggs. Sometimes they lay only one and rarely they will lay three eggs.

Then a new clock starts ticking.

It takes about four weeks for the eggs to hatch.

So the vigil continues in the maternity room.

Today the forecast is for the wind to pick up and then maybe some rain later this evening.

But more than the rain. Overnight it is supposed to be cold enough tonight that there will be SNOW mixed in with the rain tonight and tomorrow morning. They are not forecasting any accumulation of snow but most of the forecasts are talking about snow. Then tomorrow is forecast to be very chilly and get only into the 40s!

The watch and the wait continue.

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

Thursday, April 26, 2012 5:39 am CDT

Travis Frank April 26, 2012

45 degrees F Partly Cloudy WInd 10 mph N

Sunrise 6:06am CDT Sunset 8:13pm CDT

The fierce wind that you heard late last night has brought in a new weather system with it.

A colder weather system.

After a high of 80 degrees F for the last couple days, temperatures are not forecast to reach more than the mid 50s for the next several days.

There are waves on the lake this morning. Not huge. But enough to bounce a boat around. What we Minnesotans call "walleye chop". This morning a heavy walley chop. And enough to bounce the nest around.

Off to one side, not too far away, sits one of the loons in the first light of day. Ever vigilant. Ever watching. Ever ready to defend its hard won territory from all intruders, foreign and domestic. Whether it be a goose or a muskrat or a beaver or even another loon.

Bouncing on the waves is nothing new for them. They are used to water and waves and wind.

Last night after dark, there were more yodels and tremolos.

But as far as I could tell, there were no actual confrontations between the loons.

It was one loon hollering across the lake, "This is MY territory! You stay away." And then another loon across the lake answering, "Oh yeah? Well this is MY territory over here and you just stay where you are."

Hopefully the territorial issue is starting to get resolved and the loons can get down to the business at hand.

That of laying eggs.

From the signs I have seen so far, I don't think an egg is imminent but that could change at a moment's notice.

Before the territorial fights started almost a week ago, I had thought that we were very close to egg laying by all the signs. But that has changed somewhat over the last week. But at this stage things could change very quickly. It is impossible to tell what is going on inside that loons body. There are probably egg(s) being readied. But how far along are they? That is an unanswerable but amazing question.

A loon egg is very large.

Probably equivalent in volume to three chicken eggs.

The USDA classifies a chicken egg as "large" if it is about 57 grams.

The loon eggs that I retrieved off the nest two years ago that were not viable weighed 140 grams and 150 grams. They both floated so they were lighter than a normal egg would have been. This was after sitting out for over a month so they probably lost some of their original weight.

So the next time you make your three egg omelet for breakfast, stop to think that that is about how much egg a loon must produce. Twice.

It is those eggs we wait to see.

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

Wednesday, April 25, 2012 11:05pm CDT

Travis Frank April 25, 2012

56 degrees F Partly Cloudy Wind 20 mph NNE

All of a sudden the wind has picked up as a front is apparently coming through. What had been a lake as still as a mirror not more than a few minutes ago is now rolling with white caps.

The nest is rocking and rolling in the waves.

Today has seen its share of technical challenges.

For those of you who sympathized with the computer problems I am having right now, I thank you. I am not sure if this is related to this morning's problems [which continue tonight], but about 5 pm I found out that a virus was sending out emails from my account. Tracing things back, it turns out I got the virus from a very trusted person whose name you would recognize if I said it. But it certainly is NOT their fault. They are a victim as well.

And then there have been the technical problems with the site. [btw, the problems with my computer are totally unrealted to some of the other glitches .... it is not in that loop at all.]

But I trust that you can see some of the improvements in sight and sound that have come from experimenting and tweaking. Nothing is ever as easy as it seems sometimes.

The good people at Broadband have been so great to work with. Where else would you get the president of the company personally working at this time of night to give you the best experience possible?!

The loons have been on the nest at least a couple times today and they continue to show definite ownership of the nest. Including defending it from other loons and from a goose who was unceremoniously ushered off the nest by a loon.

There have been several instances of territorial calls (yodels and tremolos) but no chases that I have seen or heard of (but I was gone for most of the day.

Even though we get impatient that the loons have not laid an egg yet (yes, include me in that), we are still within the normal range for egg laying on this particular nest. In far northern Minnesota, New England and Canada, many loons do not nest until the first of June. The norm here has been for them to nest the last part of April or the first part of May.

So there is absolutely no need to get concerned yet.

I would like to see less territorial battles. But even that is normal for loons. You are having the privilege of being a part of something that happens with loons all across "the great north country". You may not be able to see the actual chases and battles as they happen, but through other videos and just being a part of this hopefully it brings a whole new understanding and appreciation of what loons go through to raise one or two little chicks.

And to hear the calls .... the yodels and tremolos and wails.

What excitement will tonight bring?

Muskrats?

Beavers?

Geese?

Intruding loons?

Thank you for watching. And thank you for your wonderful patience as some of the unforeseen glitches are worked out.

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

Wednesday, April 25, 2012 3:18 pm CDT

Travis Frank April 25, 2012

76 Degrees F Sunny Wind Calm

[First of all, let me apologize for not posting before now. I was ready to post at 5:30am this morning just as it was becoming light. The loons were sitting unusually close to shore, between the shore and the nest.

But I have had a major computer malfunction. The screen on my computer was totally black even though trying a number of different things.

I had to leave for a meeting a little before 7 and did not have time to try to figure out what had happened. I have now been home a couple hours and still have not figured out what has happened ... if it is a virus or something else.

I thought for sure I would have to go to the library to post anything for you. But I was able to dig out a very old monitor (it is terrible) and kluge things together and I can at least now see what I am typing ... although barely.]

Yesterday was a pretty peaceful day in the "War of the Pansies"!

The loons were back and forth on the lake, much of the time totally out of my sight. But they spent little time on the nest.

Then about 9pm, something happened that I have never seen. Nor did I see it this time - one of our faithful viewers from many years recorded it. She said one loon was getting up on the nest when suddenly another one attacked from behind. Obviously one of them must have been an intruder, probably the one that got attacked. I have never seen that happen before in all the years of watching loons. I am sorry that I was not home to see it.

When I did get home, there were a number of yodels and tremolos from the lake shortly after 10pm.

As I went down to the lake to listen, there did not seem to be a fight. I could not see the loons in the dark but it sounded like a pair were yodeling and calling fairly close to the nest. The anwering yodel was coming from the other side of the lake. Over and over they called. The close loon would yodel and what was apprently the mate with him would tremolo. And then from across the lake would come the answering yodel.

Over and over they called. 'This is my territory, stay away.' And the answer, 'Oh yeah? Well THIS is MY territory so YOU stay away from over here!'

The loon across the lake had a very unique yodel which I have not heard before. The first note sounded good, the second note sort of cracked and then then third note was just pitiful. So unless he just has a case of laryngitis, this may be a distinguishing characteristic for this particular loon.

But they were far enough away from each other that even in the darkness it was obvious that they were not physically fighting.

Then it was quiet for a while. I thought I need to get to bed because 5am comes too fast.

But then just after midnight yodels and tremolos started from loons that sounded like they were close to the nest. But this time they were not answered from across the lake.

These are the loon symphonies that I used to love to listen to up in the Boundary Waters on a canoe trip. Now I enjoy them a little less because I know what is being said. But I still enjoy that wonderful, indescibable sound of the wild.

At 12:15am, one of the loons got up on the nest and did a little bit of nest building. Then the other loon also got up there, the male I assume. The female finally left after about17 minutes but the male stayed on the nest.

Altogether they were on the nest for22 minutes, one of the longest times on the nest that I have seen this year.

The muskrat decided to also make a couple visits again last night. But thankfully no beaver.

Amazingly, I understand from the chat that there was a goose on the nest today but that the loon made sure there was not welcome mat for him!

The loons have been near the nest since I came home and have also been all the way across the lake.

When I saw they were across the lake I saw a chance to quickly go out to the nest and see if I could do something to tone down the brightness of the IR light on night vision. Let me know if it helped tonight since I am having trouble see a viewable picture. I was able to do it quickly and the loons did not even know I was there.

I don't know what to tell you about updates with the computer problems I am having. Hopefully this will hold together until I can figure out something more permanent. But this monitor is driving me nuts so my posts may be a little shorter. And you can be thankful for that! ;-) [Please excuse any misspellings since I can't see them well.]

The good folks at Broadband have been trying to bring the sound levels up a little bit so hopefully you can hear a little more of the background sounds.

Comments or Questions? LoonCam@yahoo.com

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