Tuesday, May 16, 2017 2:10 pm CDT

87 degrees F   Partly Cloudy   Wind 4 mph S

Sunrise 5:42 am CDT   Sunset 8:38 pm CDT

It is a warm, partly cloudy day today.

With temperatures in the 80s and humidity, it feels more like summer than spring.

And while the last several house have been very calm and quiet for our loons, the day did not start out that way!

Earlier this morning, in the light rain, our loon left the nest and the eggs were exposed to the rain and cool of the morning for almost an hour.

First both loons were calling over and over because there was an eagle in the area.  Then the male got on the nest just short of an hour with the nest exposed.  But he left almost immediately as a loon was flying overhead calling with 'flying tremolos'.

As one of our pair was swimming back in towards the nest, an immature eagle swooped down and flew low over it.  The loon wailed and desperately dove underwater to escape.

The only a few minutes after that, both of our loons were well out into the lake, confronting a third loon, an 'intruder' loon.  That apparently was the loon that had just flown over a few minutes before.

There was no real battle between the three loons out there but there definitely was a face -off.

As if that was not enough, while our loons were out confronting the intruder and letting him know that he was not welcome in this neighborhood, a goose swam toward the nest.

I didn't think to much of it but then my jaw dropped.

The goose got up on the nest!

And the loons did not have a clue he was there because they were preoccupied with the other loon.  If they had known the goose was on the nest, they would have made short work of it and unceremoniously chased him off.

I knew what a mess geese can make on the nest in just a matter of minutes.

So I decide it is up to me to chase him off the nest.  He didn't want to leave until I was almost out to the nest.  But finally he did leave protesting loudly.

The loons now saw what was going on so both of them came swimming in.

The eagle swooped down twice.

The male got on the nest but did not stay long.  He wailed and he left the nest again.  But he stayed close by and did not leave the area.  His attention was obviously very focused.

I went down to look and the eagle had now switched trees from one neighbor a little ways away to another neighbor on the other side of the nest, but in a tree much closer to the nest.

And the loons did not like it at all!

I usually try not to interfere at all.  But the loons had been off the nest way too long this morning with the multiple threats.  So I walked along the shore to scare the eagle away.

But he wasn't ready to be scared.  He just sat up in the big tree watching me.  Until I was almost under the tree.

Then he finally swooped out of the tree, slightly toward me but not close enough to be of any danger to me. 

But then as if to put a fine point on that statement by the eagle, as he flew away he swooped one more time at our loons who called out in concern.

But then the eagle flew away, I went up to the house and the female loon got on the nest.

All was well with the world once again.

Right now it is the male on the nest.  He is MUCH more accepting  of me and comfortable with me than the female is.  She is getting used to me more and more but she is still a little bit hesitant.

But as I went down to the lake, the male loon did not react at all.  He never flinched.  He never lowered his head even a tiny bit.  He just sat there with his head held high.

Since he was so comfortable with me, I decided to see if he would let me actually do some work in the lake along the shore.  There have been a lot of weeds that have washed up in the wind.

He was VERY accepting of me working there.  

So I have just spent the last hour and a half raking weeds and working along the shore and never once did he seem concerned or even lower his head.

It is gratifying to see him accept me  and trust me like that.

Now I will continue to work on getting the female to accept me.  But until then, anytime she lowers her head in reaction to me moving, I just leave the area completely so that she can't see me.

The loons have had enough drama for one day.  And I have had MORE than enough.

So it is good to see them relaxed and content.

There are predictions for heavy rain and storms later tonight.

Hopefully that will be a non-event for out loons as well so that they can have some quiet time.

Copyright 2017   Larry R Backlund

Monday, May 15, 2017 1:45 pm CDT

62 pm CDT   Rain   Wind   3 mph NE

Sunrise  5:43 am CDT    Sunset  8:36 pm CDT

The rain has just started on the lake a little while ago.

And the loons have just made a perfect textbook nest exchange.

The male spent most of the today on the nest.  But as the heavy rain started, the female loon returned to the nest.  She got up on the nesting platform from the back and just sat and patiently waited until the male decided he was ready to leave.  

As he left , the female immediately got on the nest and rolled the eggs and covered them.  They were exposed to the rain for no more than a few seconds.

It could not have been a more perfect nest exchange.

This is just the start of what may be several days of rain.  And radar shows a very heavy thunderstorm cell headed this way.

Hopefully there is no hail or damaging winds with it.

But while we hunker down in our dry houses, the loons are exposed to all the elements of the weather.  Rain won't bother them.  But hail might.  Or extreme winds.

But for now, everything is safe and the plants on the nest are getting some much needed water.  It has been very dry for several days.

Early this morning the loons were concerned about an eagle in the area and both loons were off the nest calling and paying close attention to where the eagle was and what he was doing.

Then about 10 am this morning, there was another loon that circled over the lake doing his flying tremolos the whole time.

He landed further out in the lake and both of our loons went out and positioned themselves between the intruder loon and the nest.

All three loons were on high alert with heads held high.

Fortunately there was no battle between the loons.

It has been several hours since I have seen the intruder loon.  So I assume he has moved on - either to the other side of the lake or even to another lake.

So on a dark, moody, rainy afternoon we sit and watch our beloved loons.

It would be a good afternoon for a nap.  But I don't take naps.  So I will watch the loons while I work on other things.

Life is good.

Copyright  2017    Larry R Backlund

Sunday, May 14, 2017 8:35 am CDT

58 degrees F  Clear   Wind Calm

Sunrise   5:44 am CDT   Sunset  8:35 pm CDT

It is a beautiful blue sky Minnesota morning with a bright yellow sun hanging in the eastern clear blue sky.

But already this morning our loons have had to deal with what they (rightly) see as danger.

At 7:02 am, the loon left the nest amid several wails.

As I went out to look to see what was wrong, a mature adult bald eagle flew out of one of the trees in my front yard and flew over to a neighbor's yard, where they will often sit.

The other loon came in and both of them sat out by the buoys.  They seemed to be keeping track of where the eagle was.

Then both loons took off flying and circling the lake, all the while sounding their flying tremolos.

While they were flying, I thought this might be the perfect opportunity to wipe the spider webs and the trapped bugs off the lens of the camera.  So I hurriedly went out to the nest and quickly wiped the camera lens.

As I was heading back to shore, both loons came flying over and landed some distance from the nest.  They immediately started swimming toward the nest and came close.  But they did not get on the nest.  They seemed to be keeping an eye on the eagle down the shore.

Only then did I realize that I had been so focused on quickly wiping the lens and getting out of there, I did not even see the eggs!  I did not even see the condition of anything else on the nest.  Nothing.

I had only seen the camera!  

At that point they loons had been off the nest for almost 40 minutes.

But they still did not get back up on the nest.  Even though they stayed in the area close by.

Finally 1 hour and 9 minutes later the male got up on the nest and settled on the eggs.

I should know to trust the instinct of the loons.

But I have to admit that it always concerns me when they are off the nest for any extended period of time.

But for now, the eggs are safely tucked under the warmth of the male loon.  He has been so faithful in his attention to the nest and the eggs.   And so we have to trust his instinct.

And so for now, all we can is watch and wait.  And learn.

And marvel at the miracle that is taking place before our very eyes.

Copyright 2017  Larry R Backlund

Saturday, May 13, 2017 4:45 am CDT

54 degrees F  Clear  Wind 2 mph NE

Sunrise  5:45 am CDT   Sunset 8:34 pm CDT

It is still almost an hour until sunrise.

But in the morning twilight, our male loon is sound asleep on the nest.

Or as "sound" asleep as a loon ever is.  For you can see his eye opening and closing even as he keeps his beak tucked beneath his wing.

Early morning light begins to lighten the eastern sky.  But it still will be some time before the sunlight actually breaks over the eastern horizon.

Our loon is ready to respond at the slightest provocation or threat to the eggs.

The first birds are beginning to sing their song in the cool morning air.

Late Thursday night I saw something that I have never seen before and which is a little hard to explain or know for sure what happened.

About 9:45 pm CDT, a 'carp boat' with very bright lights came by the nest.  These are boats with fishermen who are hunting carp with bows and arrows.

It seemed as if they slowed down a little bit as they passed the nest.

The male was alert but he stayed on the nest in the bright light.

But as they were continuing to move by the nest off to the right, the male loon hurtled off the nest into the water.

He positioned himself in between the nest and the now departing boat in a typical defensive mode of a loon.

But that was not the surprising or puzzling part.

In a couple minutes he returned and swam toward the nest as if to get back up and sit on the eggs.

But as he came to the front edge of the nest, he once again rapidly left  in a huge splash and desperate dive away from the nest.  Something had frightened him badly.

I was very surprised by this reaction.  Because I did not see anything that should have frightened him.  But as I moved from one screen to the next to report to chatters what had happened, I missed some of the most puzzling part.

The male loon once again came in from the left of the picture in a full "penguin dance".

A penguin dance is when a loon rises up out of the water vertically as it paddles furiously with its large feet to make itself appear as big and as threatening as it can. They almost look like a penguin, hence the name.  It is about the most extreme posture a loon ever takes and indicates a VERY high level of concern and aggressiveness.

He actually struck the plants on the corner of the nesting platform with his wing.

But I could not see anything that warranted that type of aggressiveness.

Then a few seconds later he returned and once again went into full penguin dance posture as he once again attacked the area of the plants on the corner of the nest for a second time.  This time it looked like he actually stabbed the plants or something behind the plants.

A few seconds later he came back for at third attack at whatever was there and again appeared to stab with his beak whatever was 'behind the plants'.

The returning yet a fourth time he apparently decided that either he had "killed" the threat or he decided that indeed there was no threat there.

So he swam around to the back side of the nest and got up on the nest and settled on the eggs.

Thankfully one of our faithful LoonCam viewers, gah,  caught the whole thing video and posted it on her Facebook page.  You can find it at  https://www.facebook.com/groups/larrysloonlovers/permalink/10154836291338075/

I have watched it over and over to try to figure out what was going on.  And I can't say for sure but here is what I think happened.

It was pitch black.  The  full moon had not come up yet.

In addition, the very bright lights of the carp boat had somewhat blinded the loon.

And as he came back to the nest, he was surprised by the outline of the plants which somehow the thought was an intruder of some kind, and so he splashed away from the nest in a panic.

Maybe it was even another loon.  An intruder. A threat.

He immediately returned in full penguin dance to confront this threat to his nest and his eggs.

And he went after the threat, slapping the plants with his wing and probably stabbing them with his beak.

But he was not done yet.

He came back a second time and did the same thing.  Rising up in the water, slapping with his wing and probably stabbing with his beak.

You can see the viciousness of the attack as the whole plant clump moves and the rope which helps support the camera mount flexes and sags.

But he was not done yet.

He came back yet a third time.

This time not in full penguin dance nor slapping with his wing.  But it appears he once again stabbed with his beak and once again you can see the rope flex and the plants move.

Coming back a fourth time, he now seems to be content that he had killed whatever the threat was.  And so he swam around to the back of the nest and got up and settled on the eggs.

If there had been another loon there or some kind of other animal, it definitely would have been killed in this attack by our male.

But I think that in the darkness and having just minutes before having been blinded by the bright lights of the carp boat, he mistook the silhouetted of the clump of plants for some kind of a great threat to his eggs and he attacked.

I have never seen an attack quite like that before.

But that is the best explanation that I can give at this point for what happened.

Loons have only one offensive weapon.  Tthat is there very sharp beak.

And they can use it with great skill.

They have been known to kill other loons that they see as a threat to them or their nest or their young.

And It is one of the reasons that I never go out to the nest unless absolutely necessary.

I don't go out to the nest, or many times even down on my front lawn, because I do not want to disturb the loons while they are nesting.

But I do it for my own safety.  The loons very easily could, and would, stab me if they thought I was a real threat.

But in a couple instances when I have had to go out to the nest, and they have swam so close to me underwater that I can feel the rush of water as they pass within inches of my legs, they have never attempted to stab me.  Thankfully!

So we continue to see new behaviors and new wonders with every passing day.

What will today bring?

Copyright 2017   Larry R Backlund

Thursday, May 11, 2017 6:21 am CDT

44 degrees F   Clear   Wind 6 mph NE

Sunrise  5:48 am CDT   Sunset  8:32 pm CDT

This morning has already been an eventful one for our loons.  

The sun has just come up about half an hour ago on a clear morning and there is a  chilly breeze out of the north.

And already the female loon has been chased off the nest twice by two immature eagles circling over the nest!

Each time she went hurtling off the nest with a wail.  But she was back on the nest in a matter of minutes.

The crows are no more happy  with the eagle than our female loon is.  They are chasing the eagles and cawing loudly.

When I went outside to look to see where they were, one of the immature eagles circled directly over my head twice.

So while most of us sleep, the loons must be ever vigilant.

Last night the loons were also off the nest just about dusk for an extended time.  I could not see what was going on in the fading light.  But there were calls back and forth across the lake, including yodels and tremolos and wails.

Obviously there was at least one other loon on the lake although I did not hear more than wails from the direction it was in.  So I cannot tell if it was more than one loon or if it was a male.  But apparently it was enough to get the attention of both of our loons.

But after about half an hour off the nest, our male loon came back to the nest and settled on the nest for the night.

For those of you who may be new to watching the LoonCam, you may be wondering whether it is the male or the female loon on the nest at any given time.  I do, too!  And how you tell them apart.

For the most part you cannot tell the male from the female by their coloring or plumage.  They are identical.

Unlike many birds where the plumage of the male is very different from the female, with loons they have the same plumage and coloring.  The male usually is slightly bigger but only slightly.

After all these years of watching loons closely, I have gotten a few hints to differentiate between the loons.  But for the most part, I cannot tell them apart at all.

So the only way to tell them apart for sure is if they are banded.

The pair on the LoonCam nest this year can be identified that way.  The male has a green band on both his right leg and his left leg.  We were able to band him in 2012.

The female does not have any bands on her legs.

Those bands are the surest way for you to differentiate between the male and the female.

So while we go about our daily business, the loons go about theirs.  Always watchful.

Right now they have only one goal in life - to protect and hatch the two precious eggs on the nest.  It is what they have lived for all year long.

And we have the privilege of being able to witness this miracle up close!

Copyright 2017   Larry R Backlund