A Loons Story

Category: Getting my garden started | Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2007 7:30 pm

A Loons story

We here on Black Oak Lake, love our loons. Summer would surly be a lesser quality time without them. Their haunting calls, the distinctive silhouette as they move slowly across the lake, and their devotion to their mates. We usually have 2 or 3 families on the lake. Normally each family produces 2 young, which they devotedly care for. Some times they can be seen with a baby on their back as they go for a ride. Because they dive for food, and swim very well underwater, they are a relatively heavy bird. They ride low in the water, and it takes them a long way to get airborne. They seldom go inland, their nests are at the edge of the water. They are very nervous and will quickly dive when they feel threatened. They can swim long distances under water, but very shallow. Unfortunately, they are sometimes hit by boats while swimming underwater.

Last year, towards the end of the season, an Eagle got one of the Loons and it's absence was obvious, as the remaining Loon from the couple was always alone. Occasionally the Loons would gather into a group, I think as they prepare to move to their winter homes. The lone Loon was not a part of the group. As winter approached, the group of Loons left for their winter homes, but the lone Loon stayed behind. We noticed that he (or she) had been acting unusually, in that he would rear up and flap his wings and one wing didn't seem to be normal. One day another lone Loon appeared on the lake, and the two seemed to develop a friendship, and for several weeks they could be seen together at different locations on the lake. ( we have a Loon watch program where if you see a Loon out on the lake near your home, you note the time and location, then we compare notes, and hope to learn from the results) By this time they were the main topic of e mails that went from home to home among the concerned people. Someone contacted a wild bird organization and some folks from there and some of us got together in boats, and one cold late fall evening, attempted to capture both or at least the one that seemed to be injured. They caught the injured one but the other was too quick, and got away. The injured bird had a very badly broken wing, that had healed crooked, and unfortunately he had to be put down, as Loons don't eat or survive in captivity, and he surly wouldn't survive long on the frozen lake.

The remaining Loon, the newcomer, was spotted in the lake until the ice covered the lake completely, and then he disappeared. We fear that he became feed for the Eagle, or a wolf or coyote. I guess that we must accept the food chain as a matter of life, and love both the Loons and the Eagles.

Tom

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Frank wrote on Sat Jun 16, 2007 7:40 pm:

It's fascinating to hear about the Loon Watch program Tom. I think it's a great idea, also I would bet it's satisfying to to your bit for the Loons in payment for their pleasurable presence.

May I ask how exactly you know when a Loon becomes prey for an Eagle?

Calomaar wrote on Sat Jun 16, 2007 7:58 pm:

Loons are pretty alusive, at least the adults, and unless someone sees it, or sees the Eagle with one in his talons, you can't be sure. However since the loons don't venture onto dry land very often, and there are no large fish in the lake capable of taking an adult Loon, chances are pretty good it was an Eagle or Human. We hope that the humans are smart enough to avoid the Loons. We hope!!

Chitweed wrote on Sat Jun 16, 2007 8:30 pm:

I have friends that go to a lake up north every summer. They love the sound of the loons. They say it is a haunting, lonesome sound.

The pictures I've seen of them are beautiful. When you mention them being low in the water, I remember thinking that when seeing the pictures. I didn't know it was because they are so heavy.
Thanks for all the info. You are so lucky to have such a wonderful home by the lake.

eileen wrote on Sat Jun 16, 2007 8:34 pm:

I hope the second lone loon has survived Tom. It always saddens me to hear of any bird that mates for life losing its partner. Maybe the injured loon was trying to defend its mate from the eagle and that's how the wing got broken.
I have heard of instances of swans, and in fact eagles too, that have, literally, pined away after their mates were lost.
At least you all tried your best to save the surviving partner which is to your credit.