Wednesday, April 22, 2015 5:15 am CDT

Guest User April 22, 2015

31 degrees Cloudy Wind 15mph NW

Sunrise 6:16 am CDT Sunset 8:08 pm CDT

The wind just will not let up.

All day yesterday it blew from the northwest. Cold and biting.

There were snow flurries off and on all day. Dark scudding clouds blew across the sky. Mixtures of rain and snow would turn to all snow. Then to pellets of ice. Something meteorologists call "gropple", which is snow that has partially melted and then refrozen and falls as an icy pellet. Then back to snow. And rain. And even hints of sun.

The waves on the lake have been constant as well. The nest has been bounced and battered and buffeted by the waves and the wind.

So far everything on the nest is still holding together. The constant action of the waves always pose a danger of washing loon nests away.

This floating platform can at least 'ride with the waves' to a certain extent. Although there is still the danger of the waves washing the nesting materials away.

But a nest on shore is even more vulnerable to high waves which can batter it and wash up over it. And literally wash the eggs out of the nest.

That is why loons often try to build their nests in a somewhat sheltered area if they can find one.

And that is why in some ways this nesting platform is 'all wrong' - because it can be exposed to the effects of the wind and waves. But it also illustrates how strongly loons value its protection from shore predators.

Even though they sometimes bear the brunt of the wind and waves, they are protected from shore predators by being out in the water about 150 feet from shore. And they seem to choose that over being on shore.

Our loons have been visiting the nest periodically. And their visits seem to be increasing in frequency slightly. Even with a little bit of nest building activity.

That is a good and very encouraging sign.

Over the next few days I would encourage you to watch for that increase in nesting activity. More frequent visits to the nest. Longer times spent on the nest. Possibly more matings. And increased nest building activity.

They will move a lot of the nest material by taking it in their beaks and placing it along side them. By doing this they gradually build a 'nest bowl'.

But the more serious nest building is when they start to dig with their feet and dig down into the nesting material to deepen that bowl. They will dig and then settle down into it, making it feel just right. Then they will turn some and repeat the procedure.

Each time the nest becomes more defined and deeper and made just to comfortably fit them.

I would say we are still a few days off from egg laying. But we are getting closer.

One of the surest signs we are getting closer is when you see the loon on the nest getting serious about nest building.

But it is going to be a rocky ride for them. The wind is forecast to continue all day today and maybe in to tomorrow And the unseasonable cold continues.

Our loons take it all in stride.

They have seen it before and they will see it again.

Sunday, April 19, 2015 5:24 am CDT

Guest User April 19, 2015

47 degrees Raining Wind Calm

Sunrise 6:21 am CDT Sunset 8:04 pm CDT

It is a moody rainy morning for our loons on "Loon Lake".

The sounds of the raindrops hitting the camera housing brings back so many good memories of trips to the Boundary Waters.

The sound of raindrops hitting the roof of the tent. Tucked in a warm sleeping bag on a cool wilderness morning. Loons calling out on the lake. The smell of a campfire. The smell of pine trees. Fish jumping.

Heaven on earth!

This is the perfect kind of rain that has been going all night. A slow steady soaking rain.

It will really help to green things up and is a classic "April showers bring May flowers" rain.

The crocuses are almost past their peak and the daffodils started blooming yesterday. The tulips will no doubt be close behind.

It is a beautiful time of year.

With the rain, there is not even a hint of morning light in the east yet. But it will be here in a matter of minutes, rain or no rain.

Several of the last few days have made it to 80 degrees.

But that is about to change. For the next week highs are predicted to be only in the 50s. So a dramatic change in our weather pattern.

There is even a slight chance that there may be snow flurries tomorrow night.

But the loons will take it all in stride.

Last night was a much quieter night on the lake. I think most of the seagulls must have left. Although I hear a few of them still waiting for dawn. But you can hear individual gulls rather than the cacophony of thousands.

It is interesting to realize that one year ago today we still had lots of snow on the ground from the over 18 inches we got a few days before. But there was a little bit of open water around the edge of the lake and the first loon last year came back on this date.

But two years ago today, we had over 10 inches of snow that fell. And we were over a week away from the lake opening and the loons returning.

With lakes having now opened all the way to the Canadian border, apparently most of the gulls have felt it is safe to move to territories further north.

Our loons have not visited the nest yet this morning. Nor did I expect them to do so in the dark. But they may very well do so after the first light of day.

Yesterday they visited the nest twice including a mating on the nest in the morning. Both of which are very good signs.

Watch for the visits to the nest to become more frequent.

There has not been much of any nest building activity yet. But that will come as we near the laying of the first egg. All in due time.

Both the male and the female loons share in nest building.

You will see them rearrange material on the nesting platform. They will use their legs and feet to 'dig a bowl'. They will pull nesting material around them to make everything just right.

This nest building behavior will get more urgent and more pronounced as they sense being near to the time of the first egg.

And when that first egg is laid, you will have the opportunity and privilege to see what almost no one had ever actually seen happen until the advent of the LoonCam. Certainly no one was ever able to watch it as 'close up and personal' without disturbing the loons as you are able to do.

What a privilege we have in being a part of something so magnificent.

Something researchers a generation ago could never have even imagined!

What will today bring?

The only way to know is to watch and observe.

Enjoy every minute of this special time with our loons.

Saturday, April 18, 2015 5:38 am CDT

Guest User April 18, 2015

47 degrees F Clear WInd 3 mph NE

Sunrise 6:23 am CDT Sunset 8:03 pm CDT

The sun will be coming up in about 40 minutes, but already the camera has switched to day vision with the increasing light from the east.

The seagulls are stirring and will soon be leaving for the day.

I don't know where they go but most of them are gone until evening comes again.

Yesterday there were no more than a few dozen on the lake during the day rather than the thousands that are here at night. And those that remain are much quieter during the day than the raucous racket they make all night long.

Lakes are now opening all the way to the Canadian border and soon the Canadian lakes will open as well.

I would expect that as the ice goes out further north, the seagulls will leave us and head north. Only a very few will stay here for the summer.

So I think that over the next few days most of the seagulls will leave us and you will not hear all the seagull background sound all night long.

Last night the loons appeared about 6:30 pm and swam around the nest several times.

One of them got up on the nest and sat there for about 5 or 10 minutes. The mate did not get up on the nest but stayed in the water swimming around. There was no real nest building activity by the loon on the nest. Just sitting there looking around. Maybe trying to decide what color to paint the nursery.

The encouraging part is that they still are visiting the nest and taking an interest in it.

The confrontations with other loons apparently continued last night with numerous yodels and tremolos echoing across the lake. Although it seems to be slightly less than the previous nights. So maybe they are getting things sorted out and can get down to nesting.

I had hoped that this year they would nest early enough that the chicks would hatch before Memorial Day so that for once the kids could use the lake and go swimming on Memorial Day. That is still a possibility but we are getting close.

Whatever the case, the loons own the area around the nest from man or beast.

One of the interesting things that I have never been able to fully understand nor have I found anyone who can explain it, is that the loons here on the LoonCam nest about a month earlier than loons in extreme northern Minnesota or Canada.

Part of that obviously has to do with the difference in ice out dates.

But they also tend to nest earlier here than in New England which also normally has earlier ice out dates. Although this year New England has been socked in because of their heavy snow this winter and their lakes are still frozen.

So we wait for our loons to decide what they want to do.

We must constantly remind ourselves that it is still early in the year and there is plenty of time.

I remember the first year I did the loon nest.

I had decided the previous summer that I wanted to experiment with building a nesting platform to see if they would use it. I had completed most of it the by the fall but it needed some finishing touches in the spring.

The loons came back and I.thought "I have to get that nest finished and put out for them."

So I finally finished and put the nest out.

And the loons just plain disappeared from the lake for almost two weeks!

I thought to myself, "WOW! Not only did I not help them. I scared them off the lake completely!"

But they did return and use the nest that first year and every year since except for one.

So today may be the day that the loons get more serious about nest building.

Do I know that? Nope.

Do I hope that, along with you? Yup!

We can only watch and wait.

Friday, April 17, 2015 7:24 am CDT

Guest User April 17, 2015

44 degrees F Clear Wind Calm

Sunrise 6:25 am CDT Sunset 8:01 pm CDT

Well, it looks as if we have had our morning 'swim by' and inspection tour by the loons.

A couple minutes after 7 am the loons came by the nest.

They swam around the nest several times and did some 'splash diving'. But they did not get up on the nest.

"All in good time", I keep telling myself. "All in good time."

But some days it is easier to believe that than others.

We want things on OUR schedule.

Nature does things on her schedule. And no matter how much we want or wish, we cannot speed things up. We are not the ones in control. Someone Else is.

I also have to keep bringing myself back to reality and remind myself that one year ago we were still under a heavy blanket of snow. One year ago yesterday we got over 18 inches of snow. And the ice would not go out for another week. And the year before, ice out would not be for TWO more weeks.

But I guess I will allow myself to be impatient. After all, I am a human. Not a loon. And humans are known for being impatient. Where nature and all God's wild creatures just roll with the punches.

So I have to look at the positive side of things.

Our loons DID come by the nest. They DID spend a few minutes swimming around the nest. They DID still show interest in the nest.

Those are all good signs.

I also have to remind myself that it has only been 10 days since they came back. Barely enough time to get over jet-lag!

I also have to admit that with as little as they have been around the nest the last few days, I had started to wonder and get a little concerned. What effect were all the fights with other loons having on their nesting behavior and ability? Is that part of the reason for the delay in nesting?

I was very encouraged a few days ago when they had been on the nest and mated twice. And then things really slowed down and we hardly saw them. Although we could still hear the fights at night.

Once again it just illustrates how little we truly know about these beautiful and wonderful birds.

Just when we think we have them figured out, they do something for which we have no explanation or understanding.

So, once again today, we simply sit back and watch and learn. Learn in wonderment at all that is happening.

And realize how little control we really have.

So why not just relax a little and enjoy the Wonders that have been given to us?

Thursday, April, 16, 2015 5:01 am CDT

Guest User April 16, 2015

48 degrees F Cloudy Light rain WInd Calm

Sunrise 6:26 am CDT Sunset 8:00 pm CDT

A few drops of light rain are falling right now in the pre-dawn darkness.

Wails and a few tremolos from our loons echo across the lake.

It is magic!

'These are the times that stir men's souls.'

Something so primeval. Something that connects deep within us. Something that speaks so marvelously of the great north woods and wilderness. Of wildness.

Our lives are richer for having the beauty of loons in our lives.

Yesterday was a much quieter day for our loons. I am not sure if the 'intruder loons' have moved on to another lake. Or if they have just found a grudging peace with our loons and have drawn some territorial boundaries.

But I did not see the multiple confrontations and chases of the day before.

There were a number of calls - tremolos and yodels - late last night. But not to the same extent of the day before.

In the next few days, I will go through the 4 major calls that loons make. Many of you already know them. But for some of the rest of us, It will be a good reminder of what they are saying when we hear them calling.

One of the loons visited the nest for about 5 minutes last night at about 6:30 pm CDT. I am not sure if it was the male or the female. But I think it was the female. S/he sat there and quietly 'clucked'

I still have not been able to see the bands clearly to know who is who or if this is our pair from last year. Since both of them are banded, I think it is. But I cannot be sure until I get a good look at the bands.

There was no nest building activity and the mate did not attempt to get up on the nest. After about 5 minutes on the nest, the loon left and swam away.

We are still early in the process so there is no need for worry or concern.

Just to refresh all of our memories, one year ago today we got over 18 inches of snow here at loon lake!

And the ice did not go off the lake for another week.

What a difference a year can make.

This year is closer to normal than that.

But the year before , 2013, spring was even later. The ice did not go out until April 30th! And there was still a lot of snow on the ground then, too.

As the loons get closer to nesting, I would expect that they will increase the frequency of their visits to the nest. And that they will do some rearranging of the nesting materials and do some 'nest building'.

As we get closer to the time, I will give you some things to watch for that tell us the laying of the egg is imminent. But for now, let us watch for and hope for visits to the nest with increasing frequency.

There have been some questions about how long a 'runway' does a loon need to take off?

Estimates vary widely.

Some say as few as 100 feet. Others say up to 1/4 mile or more.

I usually say that they need to have up to 1/4 mile of open water in order take off. A lot of it depends if they have some wind that they are taking off into. With a little bit of wind, they need less 'runway'.

Unlike most birds that can take off almost straight up, loons need this long runway to take off. Ducks can both take off almost vertically. But not loons. Geese need a little bit more space than ducks but they can also take off from a standing start. Loons need a long runway.

Loons are very powerful fliers once in the air. But since their body is so heavy compared to their wing size, loons must run across the surface of the water while desperately flapping their wings in order to become airborne.

One other thing I should mention. Later today there will tornado warning drills. At 1:45 pm and at 6:55 pm, all tornado sirens will sound.

You may very well hear them on the LoonCam since all sirens will be sounding. My understanding is that this is taking place all across the Upper Midwest. Schools and businesses will practice their procedures of what they will do in the event of a real emergency.

There is no severe weather predicted for today so there should be no cause for alarm. But I wanted you to be aware of that in case you hear the sirens.

The sun will be up in a little more than an hour.

And hopefully we will see our loons in all their splendor and glory.

This is such a magical time of year. New life and the promise of new life all around us.

Stop and look and feel the wonder of it all.

Enjoy all that God has given you.

Minnesota Bound

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