Second Loon Cam Nest Expected to Hatch Soon!

Volume 74 | July 19, 2018

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here .

Greetings!

It's Day 26 on our second live webcam which means the nest is due to hatch very soon! Make sure to tune in so you don't miss it. The expected hatch date is between July 20-22, but some loon nests have hatched after just 25 days of incubation. Since this nest is on a raft we should have very good views of the newly-hatched chicks. Don't forget the loon family will leave the nest site soon after the second chick hatches and will likely not return this summer (unless of course they are like the first webcam pair and want to stump the biologists!).

You may have noticed the sea of flowers behind the raft. There are three different species of aquatic plants that are flowering right now. Read all about them in the "Flower Garden" blog on our website. Aside from the great blue heron that visited a few weeks ago, the nesting pair has not had too many visitors aside from some turtles. In this video from July 18 you see the loon flush from the nest very quickly when a small painted turtle falls off of the avian guard. That might give me quite a start, too, if I wasn't expecting it!

Many people have noticed that the male tends to rest a lot while incubating the eggs. You'll see that he always has one eye open though! Loons will tuck their heads back the same way when they are resting out on the water too. The male of this pair was banded as an adult in 2006 on a different territory, but he moved to this territory in 2017. Since the earliest known breeding age for loons is 4 years and the average age at first breeding in New Hampshire is 6 years, he is at least 16 years old, but most likely 18 years or older! The female was banded for the first time in 2017 so we can only say she is most likely 7 years old or older.

I will keep you posted when the first egg hatches. If I have to miss my turn in the dunk tank at our Loon Festival on Saturday, I will make that sacrifice! Actually, I somehow got out of it in my 4 years as a field biologist.

All the best until next time,

Susie

Susie Burbidge

Outreach/Volunteer Coordinator

Click here to view LPC's Loon Cam!

Join us for LPC's Annual Loon Census and Loon Festival This Weekend!

The statewide loon census is on Saturday, July 21 from 8-9 am. This event gives us a mid-season snapshot of loon productivity around the state, and the results are rolled into our season-long monitoring. Click here to download a census form. Last year, 485 volunteers counted loons on 118 lakes around the state. Think we can top that this year?! Grab your coffee, binoculars and some friends, and head out on your favorite lake for one hour to count loons. I can't think of a better way to start your Saturday!

A loon was spotted on a nest during the loon census on Lake Wicwas in 2017. The map of the lake shows where he observed loons during the census hour.

Photos courtesy of Scott Powell.

After the census, join us for our 41st annual Loon Festival at The Loon Center in Moultonborough from 10 am to 2 pm. There's something for everyone in your family--face painting, balloon creations, loon crafts, Squam Lakes Science Center discovery table, a NH LAKES exhibit, live music, hot dogs and ice cream! Our field staff will be giving short presentations about loons and will describe the ins and outs of being a field biologist. We will also have special sales in our gift shop and admission to the Loon Festival is free!

Upcoming Events

Learning from Loons

July 19; 7 pm

The Loon Center

Loon Census

July 21; 8 - 9 am

Statewide

Loon Festival

July 21; 10 am - 2 pm

The Loon Center

A Century of Forest Conservation

July 26; 7 pm

Eyes of the Wild: Hawks & Owls

August 2; 7 pm

Carl R. Johnson Memorial Golf Tournament

August 20; 8 am shotgun start

Field biologist, Hillary Siener, collects eggshell fragments from a nest in the Monadnock monitoring region. Photo courtesy of LPC volunteer & Board Chair, Brian Reilly.

Loon Preservation Committee | 603-476-LOON (5666) | www.loon.org

Loon Center Hours: Open 7 days/week; 9 am to 5 pm

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.