Friday, June 12, 2009 9:08 pm CDT
Friday, June 12, 2009 at 9:09PM
64 degrees Sunset Wind S3mph
The sun has just slipped below the horizon and God is painting the canvas of the sky with reds and pinks and golds and purples.
The colors are reflected in the waters of the lake that are almost completely calm. There are only a couple boats on the lake fishing. Everyone else has gone home.
And there are OUR loons! All four of them. Mom and dad and the two chicks. Swimming and diving and eating. Or just floating calmly on a peaceful, colorful northern lake. They are home. They are doing well. And they are relaxed. Right now all is almost perfect in their world.
Today they have spent more time on this side of the lake than I have seen for the last several days. It is good to see them a little closer where you can see more detail with a pair of binoculars.
A neighbor on the other side of the lake told me last night how surprised she was by how big the chicks were already. She said, "They must be at least six inches long!" And I agree with her.
Seeing them on this side of the lake today only reinforced that assessment. They do have to be at least six or seven inches long already. They are no longer the tiny little balls of fluff that we saw on the nest. But they definitely are still very much chicks and still covered with the black or dark gray down. They are still almost completely dependent on their parents for food.
But we have just passed one of the most important landmarks in their survival and development. Once they have passed the two week mark, which they did on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, their chances for survival increase significantly.
They are almost safe from predators like northerns and bass and muskies. A little more vulnerable to snapping turtles but increasing their chances with turtles, too.
The two biggest dangers they now face are from the air and on the surface of the water.
From the air, they are still very vulnerable to bald eagles. An eagle can easily take a chick. In fact, an eagle is one of the few predators that can even take an adult loon.
But it is on the surface of the water that the most danger comes. And that is from man. Speeding boats and jet skis can run over and kill a chick (or even an adult) without even being aware that they have done anything.
So as summer now begins and more and more people are out on the lake in their boats, the loons have to be ever aware of what is around them and what is coming at them. And they must be prepared to dive quickly to get out of the way. But that is where the chicks are still at a disadvantage. They can do some diving. But they are far from proficient at it. Even if they do dive, they may not be able to get deep enough to escape the hull of the boat or the propeller of the motor.
So their odds of survival have gone up significantly with the passage of the two week anniversary. But they are hardly home free yet.
This afternoon I heard numerous alarm calls from out on the lake. When I went to see what was upsetting the loons, I saw two young kids in a kayak or canoe. Obviously they had come too close to the loons. And the loons were not shy about letting them know. There was calling. Yodeling. Splashing. Diving. Half flying half walking on water. Aiming directly for the kayak. Then splashing and yodeling.
Unfortunately the kids did not speak "loon". They did not realize what the loons were trying to tell them. All they knew was that this was pretty cool. Loons so close to them. Making so much noise. Doing all their acrobatics. And the kids were loving every minute of the show!
Two other loons even came from across the lake to investigate all the commotion.
This was the stuff of dreams for kids. To see so many loons. To see them so close. To see them splashing all around. To hear their loud calls. I am sure they were convinced that the loons were putting on a show just for them.
And in a way that is true. But from the loons perspective, it was not a "good" show. It was a show of fear and danger and concern and aggression to drive these intruders away from their chicks.
I remember many, many years ago having the same kind of encounter out in the wilderness before I could "speak loon". I remember how cool I thought it was that the loons came right up to us. How wonderful it was that the loons did that for us. How special it was to have that encounter. How amazing it was to see them and hear them right next to the canoe. So I do not fault the kids at all. When you do not know what is going on, it is a very special experience. But it just points up the need for continuing education. Once you know what the loons are saying, it takes on a whole new meaning of what is going on.
And if you simply and quietly leaving the area, they will soon calm down and take care of their chicks. And if you stay more than 300 feet from them, you will not disturb them at all in most cases.
Fortunately in this case, I heard an adult on shore call out to the kids and tell them to come in. And the loons almost immediately calmed down.
So tonight you can relax. And know that our loon family is doing well and the chicks are healthy active and growing so much.
Reader Comments (8)
Thank you Larry...good to know that our Loon family is still there in spite of all the dangers. I really don't think there would be very many kids here in England who even know what a Loon is. We have Loons here but they are fairly rare and are known as Great Northern Divers. I have never seen one here.
We have a wonderful programme on the BBC called Springwatch which runs for four weeks, every evening for one hour. It has just finished for this year but it has been wonderful, showing live pictures of wildlife in UK...we have seen birds, badgers, otters, wildcats, stoats, polecats, foxes and lots and lots of birds including a rare Goshawk...all brought live to the TV screen. The programme is aimed to please all ages, from little kids to adults and to get everyone involved in real life not just on TV. Last weekend they initiated a "Dirty Weekend" in whch groups all over the country met up to get down to earth, cleaning out canals, planting trees, putting up nest boxes etc. etc. What a wonderful way to use TV as a change from all the trashy programmes that are on most of the time. The BBC website does run repeats of the programme but I don't know if they are available to US viewers. Definitely worth a look if it is possible.
Larry, thank you so much for your updates on our Loon Family. I so enjoy reading your commentary describing what is going on at the Lake and the updates on the Loon Family. Your writing is so realistic, that I almost feel like I am there. The season seemed so short this year with the Cam going down and reading your updates helps so much. Thank you for all the time and effort you put into this site.
How do you do that, Larry? How do you know when the "wanting to know" is getting right to the edge of making us crazy with concern, and pop up one of your wonderful updates? We're all so grateful; thank you, once again, for tweaking our imaginations enough to put us right at the edge of the lake with you. How wonderful, to know that our loon family is thriving -- there are plenty of dangers for the parents, too. I think of them every day.
It's past midnight here in Minnesota and I just came in from the fire. The loons were calling back and forth and it is absolutely calm and quiet. It was tough to come in. I saw the loon family today on the side of the lake where the nest once resided. I kept my distance to about 100 yards...a young lady was watching them from a paddle boat. I saw them swim by my dock on Wednesday this week and that was the first time I viewed them on my side of the lake. The parents were fishing and feeding the baby loons minnows as they traversed the lake. I wonder if they know to stay on Larry's side of the lake on busy weekends? Anyway...Larry, I saw a bird out there today that resembles a loon, but is greyish-brownish and looks a little bit more skinny than a loon. The beak on this bird is just like a loon, but it's colors are quite drab. Do you know what kind of bird this is? Have you viewed it out there? Just curious...It was solo and had no problem fishing a few feet from the pontoon.
Take Care,
Catfish
It's past midnight here in Minnesota and I just came in from the fire. The loons were calling back and forth and it is absolutely calm and quiet. It was tough to come in. I saw the loon family today on the side of the lake where the nest once resided. I kept my distance to about 100 yards...a young lady was watching them from a paddle boat. I saw them swim by my dock on Wednesday this week and that was the first time I viewed them on my side of the lake. The parents were fishing and feeding the baby loons minnows as they traversed the lake. I wonder if they know to stay on Larry's side of the lake on busy weekends? Anyway...Larry, I saw a bird out there today that resembles a loon, but is greyish-brownish and looks a little bit more skinny than a loon. The beak on this bird is just like a loon, but it's colors are quite drab. Do you know what kind of bird this is? Have you viewed it out there? Just curious...It was solo and had no problem fishing a few feet from the pontoon.
Take Care,
Catfish
Catfish: What you saw may have been an immature Loon.....see some photos here:
Immature Loon photos
Hope that helps but I am sure Larry will have more information to give you.
Thanks Pam. I was only a few feet from it and I don't recall seeing any spots. Quite possibly was an immature loon. Do they fly North? Anyway, I'm going out to see if I can catch another glimpse of it. It's 80 and beautiful. Time to get outside.
Catfish, Pam is right that it does sound a little bit like an immature loon. The thing that argues against that is that they would not normally be here. So without seeing it, it is hard to tell what it was.
I think there is a possibility that it may have been a merganser. They look somewhat like loons and are mistaken for loons by some people. They have the same general body shape and look although smaller and "more skinny". They are gray or brownish gray. They also dive much like a loon.
Let me know if you see it again or are able to identify it. I doubt that it is an immature loon but I have been surprised by many things before!