Tuesday, May 28, 2013 12:03am CDT

Travis Frank May 28, 2013

58 degrees F Cloudy Wind 3mph SE

Sunrise 5:30am CDT Sunset 8:50pm CDT

I am afraid that I going to be the bearer of bad news.

News that you don't want to hear. News that none of us want to hear.

Sometime tonight, as darkness falls, the LoonCam will also go dark for 2013.

I know it is not what you want to hear. But it is what needs to happen. This has been a very strange year all around and this is just one more thing that is so unexpected and so strange.

It is the first time in 10 years that this loon nest will apparently not be used. The success of this particular nest has been the exception, not the norm. For it to be used every year for 10 years is in itself very unusual.

It is so easy to become complacent and think that since it has been so successful, it should be used this year as well.

But alas it doesn't seem to be in the cards for this year.

This morning the loons were in the area of the nest but did not attempt to approach let alone get up on the nest. Even yesterday when one of the loons did get on the nest for a few minutes, there was no nest building activity.

This has been a very difficult decision to come to. But it is one that has to be made.

We have talked about some of the things that go into such a decision, including being fair to the neighbors and letting them use their own property this summer.

But there are a myriad of considerations that have gone into this decision. It is not a decision that can be made for just the next day or two. This is a decision that has to be made in what happens for the next six weeks. Even the next 18 weeks or more.

In addition, there is a limit to how long we can block off a large section of the lake with the buoys.

There are just so many things that have had to go into this decision.

Could the loons still nest this year?

The answer is 'yes'.

Even if the loons do nest, it becomes questionable whether they will be successful in hatching chicks with the increased and intense summer activity on the lake.

Also, the successful hatching and growing of the chicks in time for them to be big enough and strong enough to fly south this fall becomes less and less likely with every passing day. Especially since they have not even begun the whole long involved nesting process.

There are cases where a loon loses their nest to predators or other reasons. They may actually try to nest a second time. But the success rate of those second nests goes down rapidly.

So I hate to be the bearer of bad news. And I know some of you are going to have a hard time accepting what must be.

But for 2013, the LoonCam will go dark late tonight.

But we can always look forward to next year. Hope springs eternal.

And everytime we hear a loon or see a little loon chick, we will have new appreciation for all that goes into making that happen.

Monday, May 27, 2013 11:22pm CDT

Travis Frank May 27, 2013

57 degrees Cloudy Wind 7mph SE

Sunrise 5:31am CDT Sunset 8:49pm CDT

This weekend has been unusually quiet on the lake for a Memorial Day weekend.

Normally the lake would be a beehive of activity.

But this year, like the entire spring, the weekend was cold and wet and uncomfortable. So there was no one in swimming. There was no one out waterskiing. There were few pleasure boaters. All that were out there were fisherman. And they were very quiet and fewer than normal.

So for the loons on the lake, it was a much quieter than normal summer weekend. But that did not do much to change their behavior.

There was a report and pictures of one of them being on the nest early this morning. But the other loon did not get up on the nest. And there was no nest building activity. Normally there is some nest building activity by one or both loons before there is any mating activity.

But then the rest of the day, the loons were no where to be seen until tonight.

Tonight a pair of loons came to the general area of the nest about 7:30pm but did not even come close to the nest nor did they get up on the nest. They stayed for a little while before swimming off together.

So the behavior is puzzling and shows no urgency to nest and mate and lay eggs.

I don't have good explanations for all of this, especially in light of the fact that numerous other loons in the area have been on nest for almost two weeks now.

But we will give it another day or so to see what happens.

This is a year for the history books for sure.

Sunday, May 26, 2013 6:34 am CDT

Travis Frank May 26, 2013

(I am not sure why the system did not accept this post from earlier.)

48 degrees CDT Partly Cloudy Wind 5mphE

Sunrise 5:32am CDT Sunset 8:48pm CDT

It is a beautiful morning.

The sun has just cleared the trees. There was a call from a loon somewhere out on the lake.

Right now there is a single loon way out in the lake from the nest. Is this our female from last year that we have been able to identify from the bands? I do not see another loon with this one so I have to wonder if it might be our female from last year.

The loon shows no inclination to swim in to the nest.

Is there such a thing as too many loons?!

Right now two families of geese are swimming by in a parade after having been up on the neighbors lawn (with all that that means).

Each of the families has 5 goslings. They are already pretty good size. So there are some species that have nested some time ago and now have their young ones in tow.

I trust that you and your family and friends will enjoy this Memorial Day weekend.

And that you will pause to remember what we are celebrating.

Saturday, May 25, 2013 11:32pm CDT

Travis Frank May 25, 2013

56 degrees Cloudy Wind 8mph SE

Sunrise 5:32am CDT Sunset 8:47pm CDT

Memorial Day weekend has started.

If the sun comes out and it warms up at all, the lake will be abuzz with speedboats and waterskiiers and jet skis.

But the chilly, rainy, cloudy weather has kept the traffic on the lake down except for the intrepid fishermen who prefer this type of fishing weather to hot and humid.

There have been a number of fireworks going off tonight as well.

So the increased activity of the summer season has started.

A pair of loons passed by the nest a couple times today. I have not seen our single female from last year. Could it be that she has found a mate? Could it be that her mate from last year has made a VERY belated appearance? Could it be another pair of loons? There are at least two other pair of loons on the lake in addition to our single female.

I was not able to see if either loon had bands on their legs so I could not identify if these were loons that we banded last year or if it was other loons.

As they swam by the nest, they showed no inclination of getting up on the nest. And then they swam over toward the other side of the lake. So I am not sure who these loons are or if they are even interested in nesting this year.

Without seeing bands, it is impossible to tell if this is our female from last year with a new mate, or her old mate or if, more likely it is an entirely new pair of loons. As always, there are more questions than answers.

Not the least of which is why her mate has not been here or if it is him, where has be been? And why would they mate so late especially when other loons are already on eggs on the nest.

We are rapidly approaching the time to make a decision about pulling in the nest or not.

Even if a pair of loons got up on the nest tomorrow, it usually takes about two weeks before mating and nest building and laying the first egg take place. That would put us into the middle of June before a nest is established. And then about a month before the first chick hatches, we are already into the middle of July. That is a full month and a half later than what we normally see.

This is not totally out of the range of dates for loons, especially on wilderness lakes.

But this is a very developed and very heavily used lake. So it is not a good scenario for loons here to be nesting that late. Not to mention being fair to neighbors who have been so supportive and understanding through the years. This nest and LoonCam could not exist without the help and support of understanding neighbors.

But it is becoming very obvious that this year is going to be the first year that loons have not used this particular nesting platform.

I will give it another day or two for you to listen to the sounds of the lake and hopefully sounds of the loons. Or to see that all too rare sighting of a loon.

But I think it is what needs to be done.

I am filled with conflicting emotions. We all wanted to see our beautiful loons on the nest. We all wanted to see two adorable loon chicks. So many things that we wanted. But so many things that this year are apparently not to be.

Who would have ever thought that we had such a long cold spring with feet of snow! Who would have thought that ice-out would be the latest that it has been in over 30 years?

Life is wonderfully complex. And just when we think that we are starting to understand it, we realize that we still know so very little. There are so many things that are still beyond our understanding.

But that is part of what makes life so wonderful and so interesting.

So we will continue to watch and listen and learn.

Friday, May 24, 2013 9:10pm CDT

Travis Frank May 24, 2013

58 degrees Rain Wind Calm

Sunrise 5:33am CDT Sunset 8:46pm CDT

A gentle rain falls on a northern lake as darkness falls.

There are only gentle ripples on the surface from the faintest breeze.

Far out in the lake two loons call. Probably a pair, since one is yodeling and therefore must be a male and the other one is tremoloing and could be either a male or a female. But I do not hear an answering call from elsewhere on the lake.

The male that was yodeling is obviously telling anyone within earshot of him, "This is my territory. Stay away." The two calls are too close together for it to be two males. I think it must be the male and female of one pair.

I have not updated you much because there has not been much to update you on.

The single loon, presumably our female from last year, still comes to the area of the nest but only rarely. I have seen no attempt to approach the nest let alone get up on it. I have not seen another loon with her. Regretably it is beginning to look more and more like something may have happened to the male from last year.

It was always thought that loons mated for life.

Thinking on that has undergone minor changes over the last few years. While it seems that most loons do indeed mate for life, the bond to a specific territory may also play a role in determining the mate. Or if one of the loon pair dies, the remaining loon may find a new mate.

But whatever the reason, our female from last year seems to be without a mate this year.

I have talked to a number of people who have observed loons that are already nesting. Some of them on eggs for well over a week already. Some loons in lakes further north than our loons have already mated and are apparently sitting on eggs.

Even some loons out in New England who normally nest a month later than our loons have already established nests.

I know that this is news that none of us really want to hear. But the possibility of 'our loons' not nesting on the platform this year may now be approaching more of a probability. If that is the case, this will be the first time in ten years that loons have not used this particular nesting platform.

But as with all things, we must keep things in perspective.

Many nesting platforms are never used. I have been very fortunate to have had the nesting success we have had for so many years. This year may be the year that breaks the pattern of success.

It is a great reminder of all that we take for granted. We take for granted that a pair of loons will use the nest. We take for granted that all the technical equipment needed to bring the pictures to you will work without a hitch and that nothing will fail. We take for granted that there will be two eggs. We take for granted that out of those two eggs we will see two beautiful loon chicks burst forth. We take for granted that those little chicks will grow into healthy, strong adult loons.

But nature isn't quite that predictable or kind.

The challenges to raise one loon chick to adulthood are immense. And it is probably good once in a while that we are reminded of how difficult it is. Even to the point of possibly losing the adult male of a breeding pair.

So even in difficult circumstances we learn.

I will keep you up to date as we decide what to do over the next few days.

Once again, let me tell you how wonderful you all have been and are. You are so grateful and you take many opportunities to expresss that gratitude. That is so much appreciated and it makes it all worthwhile. Even as we consider what to do this year, you have been so understanding and supportive in the midst of difficult choices.

I understand your concerns. I have the same concerns. We all want to see a pair of loons nesting and two beautiful little black downy loon chicks. But I also appreciate your understanding of how wonderful the neighbors have been in their support of this 'project' for so many years and have willingly limited their activities while the loons are nesting. But we need to be fair to them as well so that the support will be there in the future.

For now, we listen to the gentle pitter patter of the rain. The beautiful calls echoing across the lake as the loons call back and forth. And the very rare sighting of an actual loon this year.

For those of you here in the United States, may you have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend with family and friends as we remember those who have given so much that we may have the freedoms that we enjoy but too often take for granted.

Minnesota Bound

Sharing Stories of the Great Outdoors