Loons August 2017
As is the case each spring as June rolls around I look forward to the impending loon chick season.
Weeks of worry and waiting as momma & papa loon choose a site and set up their nest, taking turns with sitting duties so the other may take a swim and do some fishing, along with a bath and some preening.
Each parent is observed returning at a seemingly pre-determined and agreed upon amount of time to the nest to trade places, turn the eggs so all sides are warmed equally, and then plop back down for their next long turn.
In late June and early July we find out if they have been successful, and if they have, then one or two chicks will emerge, sometimes a day or more apart.
In 2015 I was blessed with being able to watch two different loon pairs on two different ponds successfully raise two chicks each for a total of four.
Sadly, a year later in 2016, both pairs of loons lost their first nest, whether to weather or predation I will never know. Fortunately this occurred early enough in the summer that both pairs nested again.
Again I was saddened to find one pair was unsuccessful with their second nest and sadly, again, I will never know for sure why they failed.
However, the other pair managed to raise one chick on their second attempt, which was certainly better than none, but I began to realize just how difficult a task it was raising a pair of chicks over the course of a few months.
As the 2017 season approached again I waited with anticipation and concern as these two pairs of loon parents again set up nests, worrying all the time about egg predation and rising waters which might flood the nest and doom the eggs.
In early July I discovered that one pair had one chick and that an adult was still sitting on the nest, in a day or so both parents were paddling around with two chicks.
Things went well for this family for ten or eleven days, then devastation hit. One evening I left the pond where there were two healthy chicks, when I returned the next day there were none.
What exactly had happened I will again, never know. As much as we wish to romanticize loons as being monogamous the mate is secondary to the nesting site. A good nesting site is highly coveted and a "rogue" male will often drive off another male and kill his offspring, then attempt another nest with the female.
Another grim and very real possibility is predation, usually by an eagle or snapping turtle. With these dismal thoughts and a sadness that such a beautiful thing could possibly suffer such cruel reality I reflected that there was still hope as long as the other pair continued to nest.
Arriving a couple of weeks later the second pair of adults introduced me to their tiny, fuzzy pair of chicks. Within days I was worried for the smaller, weaker second born. The older chick was taking the lion's share of the feeding and more, and had become quite aggressive towards the little one.
The female of this pair I am told has been nesting on this pond for over twenty years, and I must say she is a wise old bird. She is always first to recognize me and that I pose no threat even though I am invading their tiny world on this modest pond. She will often nap with the little ones in near proximity to my kayak, as if she knows no predator will assail them if I am nearby.
I was astounded to see this momma's brilliance in handling the "bullying" situation between the siblings. She would simply invite the smaller one onto her back and protect it with her wing from the constant harassment by the older larger chick. Within a day or two the bullying stopped.
Each time I returned to the pond I wondered if I would find two chicks, and each time was delighted and relieved to find there were still two. Then sadly, I returned to the pond one day and found but one chick.
A neighbor had told me, "There's something wrong with momma loon. Her call is not right. She sounds hoarse and it's not a normal call." Then one day I heard it, it was no sound I had heard a loon make before.
As I pushed my kayak out onto the pond I realized that the low hoarse call she was making was because there was an unwanted visitor sitting above us and surveying what might be tasty. Could Mr. Eagle be the culprit who is stealing loon chicks?
Sadly, this seems the likely truth to the mystery. So, of course there are mixed emotions about this: Yes, they are wild animals, and each needs to survive. Let's not forget Mr. Fish knows very well that Mr. Loon is a predator he may be sacrificing his life to help survive.
The lesson I guess here is: We need to understand and recognize the difficult
existence each of our wild friends faces in their everyday struggle to survive, and to do our best not to impede or interfere in that process.
You can help by simply keeping your distance if you come across them while paddling. Remember to never paddle between mates or parents and chicks. If they vocalize beyond a hoot, it is time to move away. These birds have existed for millions of years on Earth unchanged, let's keep it that way!
For more loons visit:
https://ghostflowers.smugmug.com/Paddling
Read MoreWeeks of worry and waiting as momma & papa loon choose a site and set up their nest, taking turns with sitting duties so the other may take a swim and do some fishing, along with a bath and some preening.
Each parent is observed returning at a seemingly pre-determined and agreed upon amount of time to the nest to trade places, turn the eggs so all sides are warmed equally, and then plop back down for their next long turn.
In late June and early July we find out if they have been successful, and if they have, then one or two chicks will emerge, sometimes a day or more apart.
In 2015 I was blessed with being able to watch two different loon pairs on two different ponds successfully raise two chicks each for a total of four.
Sadly, a year later in 2016, both pairs of loons lost their first nest, whether to weather or predation I will never know. Fortunately this occurred early enough in the summer that both pairs nested again.
Again I was saddened to find one pair was unsuccessful with their second nest and sadly, again, I will never know for sure why they failed.
However, the other pair managed to raise one chick on their second attempt, which was certainly better than none, but I began to realize just how difficult a task it was raising a pair of chicks over the course of a few months.
As the 2017 season approached again I waited with anticipation and concern as these two pairs of loon parents again set up nests, worrying all the time about egg predation and rising waters which might flood the nest and doom the eggs.
In early July I discovered that one pair had one chick and that an adult was still sitting on the nest, in a day or so both parents were paddling around with two chicks.
Things went well for this family for ten or eleven days, then devastation hit. One evening I left the pond where there were two healthy chicks, when I returned the next day there were none.
What exactly had happened I will again, never know. As much as we wish to romanticize loons as being monogamous the mate is secondary to the nesting site. A good nesting site is highly coveted and a "rogue" male will often drive off another male and kill his offspring, then attempt another nest with the female.
Another grim and very real possibility is predation, usually by an eagle or snapping turtle. With these dismal thoughts and a sadness that such a beautiful thing could possibly suffer such cruel reality I reflected that there was still hope as long as the other pair continued to nest.
Arriving a couple of weeks later the second pair of adults introduced me to their tiny, fuzzy pair of chicks. Within days I was worried for the smaller, weaker second born. The older chick was taking the lion's share of the feeding and more, and had become quite aggressive towards the little one.
The female of this pair I am told has been nesting on this pond for over twenty years, and I must say she is a wise old bird. She is always first to recognize me and that I pose no threat even though I am invading their tiny world on this modest pond. She will often nap with the little ones in near proximity to my kayak, as if she knows no predator will assail them if I am nearby.
I was astounded to see this momma's brilliance in handling the "bullying" situation between the siblings. She would simply invite the smaller one onto her back and protect it with her wing from the constant harassment by the older larger chick. Within a day or two the bullying stopped.
Each time I returned to the pond I wondered if I would find two chicks, and each time was delighted and relieved to find there were still two. Then sadly, I returned to the pond one day and found but one chick.
A neighbor had told me, "There's something wrong with momma loon. Her call is not right. She sounds hoarse and it's not a normal call." Then one day I heard it, it was no sound I had heard a loon make before.
As I pushed my kayak out onto the pond I realized that the low hoarse call she was making was because there was an unwanted visitor sitting above us and surveying what might be tasty. Could Mr. Eagle be the culprit who is stealing loon chicks?
Sadly, this seems the likely truth to the mystery. So, of course there are mixed emotions about this: Yes, they are wild animals, and each needs to survive. Let's not forget Mr. Fish knows very well that Mr. Loon is a predator he may be sacrificing his life to help survive.
The lesson I guess here is: We need to understand and recognize the difficult
existence each of our wild friends faces in their everyday struggle to survive, and to do our best not to impede or interfere in that process.
You can help by simply keeping your distance if you come across them while paddling. Remember to never paddle between mates or parents and chicks. If they vocalize beyond a hoot, it is time to move away. These birds have existed for millions of years on Earth unchanged, let's keep it that way!
For more loons visit:
https://ghostflowers.smugmug.com/Paddling
