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The Loon Journal
by Kim Moe, Loon Committee
EVEN LOONS CAN BE BAD PARENTS
Last summer, on Flower Pot Bay, we had a successful nesting pair of loons. They used the platform that Dave Beyer and Bob Moe maintain each spring and fall. The usual nesting routine of the male and female taking turns sitting on the eggs did result in two chicks. The chicks were hatched on June 7, 2004 , after a 29 day incubation period. With our scope we were able to observe the nest activity: Once both chicks had dried off they plopped off the platform, into the water. They swam around and around the platform. We didn't observe any bonding or feeding by either adult loon. Both adult loons swam off toward the center of the bay, leaving the two tiny vulnerable chicks alone. The chicks could be heard peeping as they swam around near the platform. We were frustrated but realized nature can be strange. . . After about 45 minutes, the parents both returned to the nesting area or "nursery". The chicks swam to the parents and followed them out of flower pot bay to the big part of the lake. This was the last we saw of the two chicks. The two adult loons did return to the nest and even sat on it again 2 or 3 times, then left it for good. When the nest had been abandoned for three days, we canoed over to have a look. The eggshells and membranes remained on the nest. Usually these are quickly disposed of right after the chicks hatch so as to help keep predators from smelling them. This is nature taking its course . . . something we don't always understand or agree with.
AND NOW, SOME RULES:
If you have a loon nesting area near by -
 | Observe loons from a distance of several hundred yards |
| Do not fish, canoe or boat in areas where loons are nesting or feeding |
| If a loon acts disturbed when you are nearby - it is trying to tell you to move away |
| Respect "keep out" signs near the nests |
| Do not disturb or chase a family. This exhausts the chicks and parents and makes them vulnerable to predators |
| Educate others about protecting loons on our lake |
| Deal with any loon harassment you observe by informing the people, educating them. And if that does not work, document: what you saw, date, time, boat license number, location. Then get other witnesses and call a game warden. |
Since loons tend to return to the same lakes and nesting areas each year, we can protect them now and expect to enjoy them as neighbors in the years to come!
Note: The Loon Committee believes that there are five nesting pairs of loons on the lake this spring: In Long Bay; near the Boy River; in Flower Pot Bay; and on both sides of the causeway to Angel Island. The pair in Flower Pot Bay is being harassed by eagles, so chicks may have a difficult time surviving.
GET RID OF LEAD TACKLE
By Jim Schwartz, Environment and Ecology Committee
IS LEAD FISHING TACKLE on the edge of becoming outlawed? Well, maybe. The detrimental effects of lead tackle on certain wildlife species are widely known. A Canadian report, for example, asserts that ingested lead jigs and sinkers are the single most important cause of death for adult common loons in eastern Canada and the U.S. According to the report, a single lead jig or sinker is enough to expose a loon or other bird to a lethal dosage. Now Canada's Minister of the environment is said to considering a ban on the sale and use of lead fishing tackle there. Regardless of what happens in Canada, those of us who fish and are concerned about the welfare of loons and diving ducks can take matters into our own hands: stock up on alternatives and discard lead tackle (safely!). A great opportunity for participating in such an exchange will present itself in the area:
| June 18 Bemidji, Gander Mountain 2 p.m. to 7 p.m |
| July 17 Baxter, Reed's Sporting Goods 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| July 22 Walker, Reed's Sporting Goods 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
Swanson's Bait and Tackle in Hackensack stocks some alternatives to lead tackle as well.
