66 degrees  Cloudy and Thunderstorms   Wind Calm

It is a cool, rainy, moody Saturday morning for our loons here in Minnesota.

It has been raining most of the night and it is still raining this morning with scattered thunderstorms.  The forecast is for rain to continue this morning and then for more storms to develop this afternoon.  Everything is fine here but there are a number of areas that have already received 2 to 5 inches of rain! 

There are even flash flood watches out for a large area.

And there, amid claps of thunder, are our loons sitting right out in front.  All four of them together.  Relaxed, swimming, diving, fishing.  The chicks (it is hard to even call them chicks anymore) seem to be doing very well.  They dive along with the adults and one can only assume that they are now catching some of their own food.

The chicks turned 10 weeks old this week.  It is hard to believe that the time has gone so fast!

I have on a couple occasions seen one of the chicks swimming completely by themselves, far removed from the adults, for short periods of time.

They are becoming more and more independent and within the next week or two they should take their first flights.  That is the time that they truly start to become independent.  But for now, they are a family.  Close together.  All four of them.  But as the days of summer wind down, like any family, there will be less and less of them being together all the time.  Just like kids getting ready to go off into the world on their own.

It is almost a bittersweet time.  Where are those cute little chicks that we saw on the nest.  The beautiful little black ball of down.  So small.  So vulnerable.  So lovable.  The ones that made everyone instinctively say "Awwwww!!"

But now, they definitely are 'teenagers'.  Almost grown up.  Almost but not completely.  They still will take any meal of fish offered to them by their parents.  But they can also catch much of their own food as well.  It is hard to judge size from a distance.  But they must be at least 80% the size of the adult.  When they are not swimming next to each other, it is hard to distinguish one from the other.  Except by coloring.  The chicks still have their brownish-gray plumage while the adults have their striking black and white plumage.

But when they are close to each other, you can definitely tell the slightly smaller chick from the adult without seeing the coloring.

But there is another mystery this morning.  Just when you think you have everything figured out, there is something new.

I am perplexed and again reminded of how little we truly know.

The loons have been peacefully swimming.  No calling that I have heard.  Or at least no unusual amount of calling.

And yet sitting in the dead tree down in front is an eagle!!

It isn't as if the loons can't see him!

His big bulky body stands out so starkly against the dead limbs of the tree in which he is perched.

He is a young eagle.  But a huge one.  He still doesn't have the characteristic white head and tail of an adult eagle.  But their are some streak of white starting to show.

He has been sitting there for at least an hour now, sitting in the pouring rain.  Drenched.  Dripping.  Sitting through a downpour.  Then the rain letting up, only to be followed by another downpour.

The loons could care less about the rain.  What is a little water to them?  They LIVE in the water.  It doesn't make much difference if it is water above them or water below them.

But the eagle looks miserable and forlorn with its feathers soaked.

He just sits there.

And therein is the 'mystery'.  Why are the loons not concerned at all?  They don't call.  They don't seem alarmed.  All four of them just swim and fish.  They have to be able to see him.  This big dark hulking mass sitting in a barren tree not far from them at all.

Normally if there is an eagle anywhere within sight, they are calling and very upset.  the animosity between eagles and loons is something that goes way back.

But for some reason this morning, there seems to be a 'peace truce'.

The loons swim and fish.  And the eagle sits quietly in the dead tree in the rain.  Each unconcerned about the other.

I am sorry to keep all of you waiting for an update.  I have been gone a lot and so haven't really had a chance to write or to even monitor the loons closely.

It looks like one of the major questions you have is about the other loon parent.  I did not mean to alarm you unduly when I told the story of what went on with the dead snapping turtle.  I think...and I do say 'think' ... that the other loon is just fine.  But with me being gone a lot, I have not actually observed both parents with the chicks.  But that does NOT mean that there are any problems.

I am not concerned - if that helps to allay some of your concerns.

It is not unusual for there to be only one parent with the chicks,  especially as they grow older.  So it is more that I just have not been able to spend the time watching to catch both parents with the chicks.  I can tell you that both chicks look like they are doing just fine.

That is part of the reason also that I have not updated you because I was hoping to tell you that I had seen all four of them together.  And once again I apologize if I unintentionally caused you any undue concern or alarm.  I guess it just points out how much all of us care about these particular loons and chicks and we all hope they are doing ok.  Thank you for your concern!

Can you believe that the first chick was EIGHT WEEKS old today?!!

Where has the time gone?!

They have grown so much.  And now they are very proficient at diving and seem to actually enjoy it.  I assume they are catching some of their own fish now but they still take every fish that one of the parents bring to them.  Some of you have asked me to post pictures of them but unfortunately I do not have the telephoto lens that I need to do them justice.  As I have said before, I am afraid you would be looking at a "black dot" and would be even more disappointed.  (In fact, right now I do not have ANY camera!  I was pick pocketed in Jerusalem a few months ago and they got my camera!!  First time that has ever happened in my travels all over the world.)

In another 3 or 4 weeks, they will begin to fly and then they will truly start to become independent.  At that point, the bond between parent and chick starts to break and both of them start to go their own ways.  And then in September or October the adults will fly south and the chicks will follow them about a month later...October or November.

In what is yet one more amazing thing about loons, the parents and the chicks fly south separately!  The parents leave first.  And then the chicks find their way to the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic without ever having been there before!  How do they do it?  I have no idea.  It is another of those "I don't know how you did it but God you done good" moments!

And then even MORE amazing is that the chicks will spend the next THREE YEARS on the Gulf before they come back to Minnesota!

But we have another couple months before these beautiful friends leave the Great North.  So for now we enjoy every loon call that we hear at sunset or in the middle of the night.  We hang onto it and savor it.  And store it away in a special place in our memory to see us through the long silent winter months!

I hope that you get a chance to hear loons before the summer too soon comes to an end.  Enjoy them.  Teach people about them.  Respect them and teach your kids the wonder of loons.  And while you do, know that OUR loons are doing just fine.

82 degrees  Cloudy and Muggy  Chance of Rain   Wind S8mph

I had just gotten home a short while ago when I heard the loons giving a tremolo call, which is an alarm call.

When I went to look to see what was bothering them, I saw what I thought was the 2 chicks directly out in front.  And one of the adults in close to the dock, not too far from where the nest had been anchored.  Then I saw the other loon even closer in and over to the right a little bit.  It had its head underwater.  The other adult continued its calling.

I could not see any reason that it was disturbed.  No boats.  No fishermen.  No eagles.  Nothing.  But something was definitely disturbing the one loon.  When I looked back at the other one, it still/again had its head underwater.  Only the hump of its back showing.

The adult kept calling that tremolo alarm call.

I went to get the binoculars to see if I could see why it was so disturbed.  The chicks were swimming a little farther out.  Away from the loon that was calling.  But then my heart sank.  The other loon that I had thought had its head underwater watching, was not moving!  It had not raised its head at all.

NO!  Could it be?  Could it be that we had lost one of our loons?!

The other loon kept up its call, over and over and over as it looked at the floating shape and swam not too far from it.

I looked back out at the chicks.  Or was it two chicks?  Or was it one chick and one adult?  It was hard to tell since the chicks are getting so big.  It looked like the coloring of the chicks but I could not be sure.

The thoughts raced through my mind.  Would it be worse to lose a chick or an adult?  If it was one of the adults, what would happen.  It would mean that the other adult would have to do double duty in feeding and protecting the chicks.  And the chicks need for food at this stage is like a teenager at your house!!  They can feed themselves maybe some but for the most part they are still dependent on the adult.

I went down to the lake as the loon's calls continued.  It watched the floating shape.  It swam not too far away.  And it called over and over - continuously.

As I walked out toward where the carcass was floating, I became more and more concerned.  It definitely was not moving.  Had it been hit by a boat over the busy weekend and died?  My mind raced to think when I had last seen both adults.

As I got closer, I strained to see it better.  It didn't look like there was black and white plumage!  It was a mottled brown color.  Could it actually be one of the chicks?  I was still too far away from it to tell.  The loon kept calling and watched as I walked out.  It did not move away or become alarmed.  It simply kept calling.  Then it dove and came up not too many feet away.

Could all of the loons work and faithful parenting and protecting actually come to this?  To lose one of the chicks.  There were thoughts that I just wanted to put out of my mind.  And in the meantime the carcass just floated.  And the loon kept calling.

I wondered to myself what I should do.  I was prepared to retrieve it, bag it and freeze it until I could get it to scientists who could determine what had happened.

Finally I was close enough to make out some of the details of the carcass.

It is hard to describe the flurry of thoughts that went through my mind.

For what I could not make out from even 25 feet away was now obvious.  It was NOT an adult loon.  It was NOT a loon chick!  It was the bloated carcass of a snapping turtle floating half submerged!  A wave of relief washed over me.  But the loon still sat very near watching me and still calling.

It continued to call until I made it all the way back to the dock.  And then it stopped.  I am fascinated to think about what may have been going through its mind.  Did it finally stop calling because if I was satisfied that there was no danger, it could also be satisfied?

For about the next 10 minutes, it was quiet but it stayed between the carcass of the snapping turtle and the two chicks.  And then finally the three of them swam away.

I had to smile to myself after it was all over.  A smile of relief that it was not a dead loon.  A smile at how the mind can conjure up the most detailed stories of "what might be".  And especially a smile of relief that the two chicks are still doing fine and one of the parents was there with them still watching for any danger.  Even if the danger was the floating carcass of a dead snapping turtle!!

68 degrees   Dark with chance of rain overnight    Calm

I know some of you may be wondering how the loons are doing since it has been almost 2 weeks  since I have updated you.

The short answer is that they are doing very well!

They are already just over 5 weeks old.  The first chick hatched 5 weeks ago Tuesday noon and the second chick hatched 5 weeks ago Wednesday night.  They are at the point now that they will probably make it to "semi-adulthood" and will be able to fly south this fall.  That is barring some tragedy or some disease.

They are already probably 3/4 the size of an adult loon.  It is so hard to believe that they have grown so fast.  Five short weeks ago we first saw them as the little balls of black down peeking out from under the adult loon on the nest.  So cute.  So vulnerable.  So full of life.

But now they are looking more and more like a loon every day.  They have the familiar general body shape.  Their bills have lengthened markedly since we first saw them with the short bills when they hatched.  They are sort of in their "teenage" stage.  Definitely looking like a loon and yet with the wild "tously hair" which is still gray down instead of feathers.  It will be another five to seven weeks before they will make their first attempts at flying.

Once they are able to fly, they will then become more and more independent from their parents.

Both chicks are able to dive quite well now.  And that bodes well for tomorrow - the Fourth of July.  Because tomorrow there will be a lot of boat traffic and fishermen and water skiers and jet skis all over the lake in celebration of the holiday and of summer.

Once again the loons will have to be careful and ever alert for boaters who will not necessarily be alert for them!  But unlike earlier this summer, the chicks can now dive to get out of the way of boats.  They still are not nearly as proficient at diving as their parents are, but at least they stand a chance of getting out of the way of boats.

I saw them - all four of them - out in front of my place earlier this evening.  And I thought of so many of you who watched the LoonCam and took the loons into your heart and your thoughts.  So I wanted to give you a report of how they are doing.  They were sitting on a calm lake on a beautiful Minnesota summer evening.  They were relaxing.  They were diving and still bringing fish to the chicks.  They were preening.  They were just being loons.  And it was a wonderful scene to behold!

So you can relax in knowing that OUR loon family is doing well.  But for those of you who will be out on lakes in loon country, encourage whoever is driving the boat to be aware of loons and to give them their space.  And well all will be able to enjoy loons for many generations to come if we take care of the ones we have now.

For those of you in the United States, have a wonderful Fourth of July holiday!  Enjoy your friends and your family and everything that God has placed in your life.  Including loons!

74 degrees   Twilight    Calm

The sky is on fire with scarlets and crimsons and golds and pinks and reds.  And the surface of the lake is also ablaze with the reflection from the sky.

The sun set less than half an hour ago and we are now in the wonderful "in-between" time that is so typical of summer in the north.  And a time that is so special.   It is not a fast, harsh time between light and dark.  But a gentle, gradual change.  When the sky first wraps you in a coat of many colors before the dark finally envelopes you.

Most of the boaters have gone home.  There are just a few boats still on the lake, all of them just gently floating and enjoying the beauty of the evening.  There are three families of geese and their growing goslings swimming out on the lake.  And over there, in the middle of the lake are our loons!

The temperature was in the 90's today.  So there were boats all over the lake as people came out the enjoy a long delayed summer day.

And with it, our loons were in a traffic jam, caught between boats and water skiers and jetskis.  They had to watch out for boaters that possibly were not watching out for them.

But they have made it through the day.  They are safe.  They are healthy.  And they are growing so very much.  They are still covered in a gray down.  But their heads seem to be a little darker.  Is it the development of the first fine smooth feathers that cover a loons head and neck?  And they also seem to be developing some tail feathers

They are developing so rapidly.  It is hard to believe how much they have changed in only three-and-one-half weeks.

But they have a long way to go before they are truly independent.  They still rely on mom and dad for most of their meals although they are probably catching a few things on their own.  They are becoming more adept at diving and they try out their skills more and more often.  They can easily dive and stay down for 15 seconds or more.  It would be so fascinating to be able to see what they actually do when they are underwater.

But for now, they simply float.  And enjoy a gorgeous evening.

So tonight you can relax.  YOUR loons are safe and growing.  The most famous loons in the world!  And hopefully many thousands of others across the US and Canada are doing the same or will be doing so soon.

70 degrees  Calm

Right now the lake is still.  Like a sheet of glass.  There is no moon and not many stars because of some of the sky being covered by clouds.  Lights around the lake reflect in the perfectly smooth surface of the lake.  The frogs are in full song and surround you with their croaks and chirps and 'ribbits'.

It is then you hear the sound that stands out from all others.  The sound that captivates you!   A loon!

And then another one answers.

The calls echo back and forth across the lake.  How beautiful is that sound.  It awakes something primeval in you.  A connection with all that is good and has gone before.  A feeling of being part of something so great and magnificent.  A world of wonder and discovery. 

In the darkness, one just hopes that all is well with the chicks.  Without being able to see, you just have to take it by faith that they are ok.

Yesterday was the chicks first day on the lake with a lot of boats and jet skis and water skiers.  In fact, I don't think it is stretching it too far to say that there were more boats on the lake yesterday than have been out there all spring.  Yesterday was the first warm sunny day and everyone headed to the lakes to let off all the pent-up desire that had built over the winter.  And they took advantage of it.

But it meant that our loons had to carefully thread their way through all the traffic and stay out of the way of all the speeding boats.

And they did it!

Today they have been swimming mainly on this side of the lake and enjoying the relative quiet of a Monday.

They are doing well!  It is amazing how fast the chicks grow.  Now they are two-and-a-half weeks old and they are looking more and more like loons, albeit miniature ones.  Their silhouette is now definitely that of a loon.  The body has lengthened.  The bill has gotten longer like a real loon.  They look like a loon, just much much smaller.

It is so hard to judge size from a distance or through binoculars.  But I would guess that they are at least 7 inches long if not even 9 inches.  They are growing up!

And every day that goes by increases their chances of surviving to adulthood and flying south later this fall.

So for those of you who wonder about them but can't see them, just know that tonight they are still doing very well and becoming loons and all that that  means.

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.

Since I may have raised your concern about our loon chicks because of my slight concern, I thought I should at least give you an update.

Early this evening I saw one of the adult loons with the two chicks just casually floating near some rushes.

All seemed well.  The chicks seemed healthy and even tucked their little heads under their little wings and took a little nap.

So they are doing fine. 

I didn't see the other 3 loons that were on the lake earlier today nor did I see the mate to this adult.  But everything looks like they have made it through another day in good shape.  There is always the danger with other loons killing the chicks so that is why I was a little concerned earlier today.

But our loons are good.

Tomorrow will already be the two week "birthday" of the second chick!  You will remember that it was hatched just at dusk and we got our first view of a wet chick escaping the eggshell just before it got dark.  How quickly the time has gone.

Someone asked if they had their "pecking order" fight or not.  Since they left the nest so quickly, you were (maybe fortunately) not able to see if they did or not.

Shortly after they left the nest there was a very short fight that I saw.  Mercifully short.  Now whether they had another longer fight I am not sure.  If they did, I did not see it.  Usually they just have one fight and then it is all over and they get along very well.

I will try to update you again in a couple days.  Or sooner if there is anything of interest.

61 degrees   Overcast   Calm

Just another quick update.

The whole lake is still.  Like a mirror.  The early morning fog has lifted. 

And way out near the middle of the lake one of our loons floats with two little chicks.  The first chick now almost exactly two weeks old.  Weeks that have gone so fast since it first pecked its way out of its sheltering shell.

While I am watching, the other adult  loon appears  a little ways away.  Or is it one of our loons?

The loon with the chicks dives and comes up over by this other loon.  It may be an intruder loon.  I am not sure.

And now the chicks are swimming all by themselves.  It had been such a relief when I saw them.  It always is.  To know that they are still ok.  The chicks are doing some diving of their own.  They are able to stay down for about 5 or 10 seconds before they resurface.

But now they look so all alone and vulnerable swimming all by themselves while one of the adult loons swims out to this other loon. 

Then yet a third loon comes flying in and lands a ways away from the other two.  OK, now ONE of these loons is not "our loon".  But which one?  Or are two of them not "our loons"?  Sometimes I just wish they would wear nametags or something!  It would make it so much easier to identify them.

There is no fight.  But there is some excited diving.  And yet sometimes they seem to just swim together peacefully.  So many things that raise questions.  There should be a big fight.  There isn't.  The chicks swim all by themselves over there swimming in closer to shore.

Now when I check on them half an hour later, there are five loons - yes, you read that right, FIVE loons - swimming together out in the middle of the lake!

There still is no fighting that I see nor any alarm calling that I hear.  But there is a lot of diving and a little bit of splashing.  So it is not an entirely peaceful "congregation".

I have often wondered if some of the "extra" loons that we have seen this year are the young from previous years.  But there is no way of knowing for sure.  Does that explain the lack of an all-out fight?  Or is it completely unrelated?  So many questions.  So few answers.

I don't see the chicks at all now.  So my level of concern rises slightly but I have no reason to believe that they are not ok.  I assume that they are just swimming somewhere in the rushes off to the left.

Anyway, through all of this I can report to you that our chicks were healthy and active a little bit ago.  And that I think they are still ok.  But the activites are just enough to raise the level of concern slightly.  Sometimes I wish I didn't see as much as I do.  Or at least when I see activity, that I knew without a doubt exactly what was going on.  But such certainty is not to be always found in real life.

Stay tuned!  I will try to periodically give you an update on what I see.  And to hopefully tell you with each report that the chicks are thriving!  And for anyone else on the lake, feel free to post what you see in the Chat Room.  That is helpful to all of us.  More eyes, more information!

Questions or Comments?  Post them here or in the Chat Room or send them to LoonCam@yahoo.com

43 degrees   Calm   Foggy

On a chilly morning, the lake lies completely shrouded in fog.

I can see out to the nest, the loons former home, and slightly beyond.  But then everything disappears into a world of white nothingness.  Somewhere out there, the seagulls are calling with their raucous voices.  A single loons swims by with no chicks.

I assume our chicks are out there in the fog someplace, too.  Although I can't see them.  Nor do I hear them.

It is hard to believe that it was two weeks ago right now that we got our first view of a hole being pecked in the first egg.  And then later on that morning, the first chick hatched.  Our chicks are almost 2 weeks old!

So even though I can't see them right now, I assume and hope that both chicks are doing well somewhere out in that fog.

It is about at this stage that the chicks are able to start making their first meaningful dives.  They still are nowhere proficient at it.  But it is more of a dive than they have been able to do before.

They still are not able to dive quickly or deep enough to get away for sure from fast boats or jet skis, but they now stand more of a chance than they did a week ago.  It will still be several weeks before they will be able to catch their own food.

With their rich diet of fish supplied by their parents, they grow quickly at this stage.  They are still covered in black down but they definitely have grown since they were hatched.

So somewhere out in the whiteness of this early morning on the lake, we have to take it by faith that our loons are out there.  Unseen.  Unheard.  But hopefully doing well.

Questions or Comments?  Post them here or send them to LoonCam@yahoo.com