Found one young loon

Baby loons are rare around Lake of the Woods. While chatting with the fellow who made the loon nesting platform, he informed me that while on the M.S. Kenora, he had spotted many loon pairs on the cruise, but not one baby. However, he had spotted one pair with a youngin' by Mud Portage (a few kilometers from our cottage) That evening I boated over to the area and found the loon family. The baby was no longer a baby, but was large enough to swim under water for a remarkable amount of time by itself. What I learned that evening is that my encounter with the loons last summer was indeed a rare event. This new family was not at all interested in allowing me to get anywhere near to them. They cried warnings and performed the " scoot across the water to lure me away from their young" trick. It was pretty disappointing but I managed to get a couple of shots in time I was floating around in the bay.

As a side, I'm going to have a photo exhibition based on my loon photos (and other landscape shots) at the Sunset Gallery in Kenora from August 12-14th. If you're in the area come and pop by!

Of lost nests and crashed boats

Update: not good. Sheesh. What does it take to get baby loons around here? The "man-made" platform 2nd laying was looking good til middle of last week. Now, the nest, with one egg, has been abandoned. On a positive note, I met with the crafter of the loon platform and he's planning on making a few more for our area next year.

I was also given a couple of pictures of the motorboat that had crashed just meters beyond the loon platform about a month ago. The loon (as you can see in the shot) was still on the nest with the boat crashed on the beach, just behind her. When the salvage team arrived a few days later, the ruckus caused by their work caused the mother loon to abandon the nest. So, if you're keeping track, the loon platform has had two sittings; both failures. The natural nest by our cottage has also had two failed sittings. There is an itty bitty chance they can lay a 3rd time but its getting pretty late for that.

July 2nd; I think I'm going loony again!

Today Sheri and Matt returned from a Sea-doo run on the lake and had great news! The nesting "man-made" platform that was abandoned because of a nasty boat crash on the island where it was situated, is now hosting another loon. Later today, we travelled to the site and sure enough, one very content loon on the floating platform, nesting! Now we didn't see any eggs as the loon didn't leave the nest while were watching, but the mate was nearby, in the water eating away. Looking very promising. Unfortunately, we have no idea when the 2nd laying would have occurred, so who knows if we'll be around for the birth(s). Anyway, it looks like we might be back in the loon business again!