Friday, April 24, 2015 9:25 am CDT

Guest User April 24, 2015

45 degrees Cloudy Wind 3mph NE

Sunrise 6:13 am CDT Sunset 8:10 pm CDT

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

Each day we get closer to the exciting time when the first egg is laid. And the countdown clock begins.

There have been continuing questions about if this is the same pair as last year.

I have not been able to/taken the time to see if I can see their bands to identify them. But it has been my 'feeling' that it is the same pair.

Why?

Here are some of the reasons. But only definitively seeing the bands will tell us for sure. Both loons are banded, which argues that it we have had contact with them before. It still could be the 'other pair' on the lake which we have also banded. But that would mean we also had a territory change.

They seemed to recognize that this was the place where the nest had been even before I got the nest in the water. They swam in close to shore and watched me as I was working on getting the nest in the lake.

They seem to recognize the nest and the surrounding area and took ownership of it very early.

But all of those are just circumstantial reasons until we get a good view of the bands.

I got a note yesterday from Kevin Kenow.

Kevin is the person from the USGS that did the banding and has had a multi-year project studying loons. He knows them better than almost anyone else.

Kevin watched yesterday's video of the loon/goose confrontation on the nest and here is what he said:

"Hi Larry,

Thanks for sharing this great video clip! It appears that the aggressive loon is the female banded last summer...I got a glimpse of the green/silver band combination on the right leg as the loon was exiting the platform.

Kevin"

So it looks like it IS the female that we banded last year. I would trust Kevin's eyes and opinion over almost anyone else. And I think I have gotten a glimpse of the blue stripe band on the male, but not good enough view that I would swear to it.

And it is also fascinating that apparently it is the new female that was the one who got up on the nest and actually chased the goose away! She has definitely taken strong ownership of the nest.

When they start nesting, we will have many opportunities to get better views of the bands. But for now it looks like the female is the one we banded last summer. And probably it is our male from the last several years.

Thursday, April 23, 2015 11:31 pm CDT

Guest User April 23, 2015

34 degrees F Partly Cloudy Calm

Sunrise 6:14 am CDT Sunset 8:09 pm CDT

Today has been quite the eventful day on the LoonCam!

The loons have visited more often, especially this evening.

They have been up on the nest for longer periods of time and are even starting to get more serious about nest building.

They once again mated early this morning. The 6th time by my count but there may have been others I missed.

All of this is as I predicted and it is very much to be expected as we proceed toward the hopeful nesting, laying of eggs and hatching of chicks.

I would say that we are proceeding along very nicely.

But the biggest news today is not any of those things.

Very early this morning a pair of geese once again decided that this is the house and the neighborhood that they wanted to move into!

So they just moved in.

No realtor. No open house. No down payment. No contract.

One of the geese just got up on the nest while the other one swam around 'outside the house'. The goose even went so far as to start rearranging a few knick knacks int he house and even laid down and tried out one of the beds!

It took about 4 or 5 minutes for the loons all the way across the lake to see that they had intruders in their house. And they made a beeline for their nest. As the agitated loons swam around the nest, just out of view they were chasing the other goose. While the goose up on the nest peered over the edge with great concern and tried to keep track of where the loons were.

Finally one of the loons vaulted up onto the nest.

I could not tell if the loon actually stabbed the goose. But I would not be surprised it it did or at least tried.

The goose jumped backwards, hit the camera with its wings, then bounced on the nest as it took off as fast as it could fly.

It was quite amazing to watch.

Gail, one of our faithful viewers for many years fortunately was recording the whole incident and posted a video of it at Larry's Loon Lovers on Facebook as well as on YouTube. I think you would find it very interesting to watch at one of those two places.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsqcKu8luNE

I asked Gail if she would allow me to send it to our NBC affiliate tv station in the Twin Cities, KARE11 and she graciously agreed.

KARE11 used the video on at least one of their newscasts tonight, although unfortunately they did not include the sound so people did not hear the 'bang' of the goose hitting the camera.

As of right now as I write this, there have been over 11,000 views of that video!

I have even gotten word that television stations in Houston and Seattle have shown the video tonight! I am sure we will get word of even more stations in the days ahead!

Isn't this incident SO typical of what happens on the LoonCam?

99% of the time you are watching plants grow on the empty nest.

And then in an instant out of nowhere something unbelievable like this happens.

Keep watching to see what will happen next.

You don't want to miss it!

And thank you to all of you who watch so faithfully and document every thing for everyone else.

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.

Minnesota Bound

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