2022 Looncam Going Live Soon! |
The loons are back, which means that nesting season—and therefore Loon Cam Season—will soon be upon us! LPC staff will be setting up our Live Loon Cam this week, and we hope to be streaming very soon! Be sure to check in at https://loon.org/looncam/!
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LPC has a lot going on this summer! Want to learn more about loons through a presentation or guided paddling trip? Click here to view a list of summer events open to the public. Please note that this list is not complete—we will be updating it as we confirm details and schedule additional events—so be sure to check back frequently!
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Photo courtesy of Eunice Jackson. |
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It's been a busy April for LPC staff and volunteers! On April 15th, 22nd, and 23rd, we hosted volunteer raft and sign building workshops. With the help of many volunteers, we were able to build a record 27 nest rafts between these three workshops! These rafts will be put out at locations around the state—some at new locations, others to replace existing rafts that are reaching the end of their lifespan—to help loon pairs nesting at sites vulnerable to water level fluctuations, predation, or other problems that can be solved by rafts. We were blown away by the response that we received for these workshops, and we thank all who came out to help. |
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Working in groups, volunteers managed to build an impressive 27 rafts, which will be floated across the state this summer. |
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We sincerely thank all who came out to help! Photo courtesy of Linda Heminway. |
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In addition to building rafts, LPC staff and volunteers have been hard at work getting rafts floated throughout the state. We will continue floating rafts throughout the month of May. |
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LPC Volunteer and Outreach Biologist, Caroline Hughes, and Winnipesaukee Biologist, Ashley Keenan, float a nest raft on Lake Winnipesaukee in late April. Photo courtesy of Caroline Schoerner. |
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Over the winter, LPC rescued a number of loons. Some had become iced in on their lakes, others crash landed during migration. When we rescue loons and release them at the coast, we are always anxious to see if and where they might return in the spring. We're pleased to announce that LPC volunteers have already documented the return of two of the loons that we rescued over the winter. |
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First, LPC volunteers Elaine Faletra and Cathy Eastburn were in touch about a banded loon on a lake in western NH whose band combination did not match any of the loons that they regularly see in that area. They sent photos, which allowed us to identify this loon as an individual that crash landed in a parking lot in Loudon NH in December. At the time, the loon had no apparent injuries, so after a night with wildlife rehabilitator Maria Colby for feeding and observation, it was banded and released on the coast. We were pleased to learn of its return to a New Hampshire lake this spring! |
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The loon could be distinguished by its band combination—silver over green with a horizontal white stripe on the right leg and two red stripe bands (red with a horizontal white stripe) on the left leg. Photo courtesy of Cathy Eastburn. |
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Photo courtesy of Cathy Eastburn. |
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We were celebrating the return of this loon when we heard from another LPC volunteer, Jane Beardsley. Jane confirmed that her banded loons had returned to hear lake. Interestingly, the banded male loon on Jane's lake was one of the ten male loons that we rescued from the ice on Lake Winnipesaukee back in January. Jane was able to confirm the loon's return with photos. This is the first of the 'Winnipesaukee Ten' that we have resighted so far this year. We will be eagerly keeping an eye out for the other nine loons on our lakes this summer!
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White stripe (white background with a horizontal black stripe) over white dot (white background with a black dot) bands on the left leg confirmed the identity of the male loon on Jane's lake. |
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We are glad to have been able to confirm the return of these two loons! We thank Elaine, Cathy, and Jane for reporting their observations and photos to us. And, as always, we thank all of the people and organizations who assisted with the rescue and rehabilitation of these loons over the winter and made their return this spring possible: the staff at VCA Capital Area Veterinary Emergency and Specialty, who allowed us to use their facilities to radiograph and draw blood from the loons and consulted on both of these cases; Dr. Mark Pokras, who consulted on both cases; and Maria Colby of Wings of the Dawn Wildlife Rehabilitation, who cared for the loons during their time in rehab prior to their release. |
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Member a Day in May Membership Drive |
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May 1st marked the start of LPC's annual Member a Day in May Membership Drive. Would you like to help support our work on behalf of loons? Please consider becoming an LPC member, and if you are already a member, please consider spreading the word to friends or family members who may want to join LPC. To learn more about Member a Day in May, and about LPC membership in general, please click here.
All who become new LPC members during the month of May will be entered to win one of four great raffle prizes:
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Give your bathroom a loon-themed update with this raffle prize! The shower curtain measures 60″x 72″ and features a black and white lake scene with a loon. |
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Loon and Lake Sock Bundle |
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Add a pop to your wardrobe with this fun raffle prize! The Loon and Lake Sock Bundle includes an assortment of five pairs of loon and/or lake-themed socks. |
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For those looking to add some loon-themed items to their kitchens, the Loon Kitchen basket is a great prize! Functional as well as decorative, this basket includes two loon dish towels and a loon shaped cutting board from Board in the Kitchen. Cutting board is made of counter top material and comes with a wooden display stand. |
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Sure to remind you of time spent on a lake, this beautiful pillow made by Paine Products, Inc. features a shoreline scene with a loon pair and chick. Balsam fir filling gives the pillow a lovely woodsy scent.
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Expanding Membership to all 50 states |
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Did you know that LPC has members in 41 states? It's true! This year, as part of our membership drive we are hoping to expand our membership base to include loon supporters from all 50 states. The first person from each of the 9 states that we are missing members from (Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and West Virginia)to become an LPC member this May will receive a blue travel mug with LPC's logo! |
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With loons returning to our lakes and nesting season likely to begin this month, now is a great time to discuss loon nesting habitat and the behaviors that loons use to indicate that they need more space while they are on the nest.
Loons build their nests along the shoreline, usually (though not always!) in quiet and protected areas. Loons tend to nest on the leeward side of small islands, in marshy areas, or along the shoreline of protected areas such as coves. They build their nests by first grabbing vegetation or other materials from the shoreline or lake bottom with their bills and throwing it onto the area that will become the nest. They then sit in the nest and rearrange these materials. Males and females tend to contribute equally to nest construction.
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This footage from LPC's 2020 Loon Cam shows the loon pair working to build their nest. |
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During incubation, loons will hold their heads upright and may spend time looking around, surveying their territory, when they feel relaxed. Nesting loons that are feeling threatened, in contrast, will flatten their bodies low over the nest and angle their heads towards the water. They do this for two reasons: first, to minimize their appearance, in an attempt to hide from the perceived threat, and second, to ensure that if they continue to feel threatened, all they have to do is kick their feet to dive into the water, where they are more mobile and therefore less vulnerable. If you see a loon in the flattened out position pictured below, it is likely that you are too close to it. Remaining too close to a loon that is showing signs of feeling threatened usually results in the loon flushing off of the nest and into the water, leaving its eggs exposed and vulnerable to predation or the elements. If you see a loon in this position, please give it more space in order to ensure that it does not flush off of the nest! |
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Loons in this flattened-out position are feeling threatened. If you see a loon in this position, please back away until you see it resume an upright position! |
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Sometimes, loons may be nesting in areas where we don't expect them to be. Thankfully, there are some easy guidelines that we can all follow to reduce the risk of accidentally disturbing nesting loons:
- When paddling in or around areas where loons are likely to be nesting (islands, marshes, along the shorelines of protected coves, etc.), take care to not paddle too close to the shoreline. Loon nests can be well camouflaged in these areas, making it easy to inadvertently get too close if we’re not careful. Be on the lookout for loon nests in these areas, and if you come across a nesting loon, be sure to give it as much space as possible (ideally, 150 feet or more).
- If you accidentally flush a loon off of its nest, leave the area immediately. More often than not, a loon will get back to its nest shortly after the perceived threat leaves the area.
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This month, the Boxed Loon Note Card Assortment is on sale in our online store! This box comes with 8 assorted cards and matching envelopes (4 each of 2 styles) reproduced with highest quality printing. Each card measures 3-1/2″ x 5″ and is printed on recycled and recyclable paper. Get yours here!
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Loon Preservation Committee | 603-476-LOON (5666) | www.loon.org |
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The Loon Preservation Committee is dedicated to restoring and maintaining a healthy population of loons throughout New Hampshire; monitoring the health and productivity of loon populations as sentinels of environmental quality; and promoting a greater understanding of loons and the natural world. |
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