The loons are nesting again on Caspian Lake

By Stew Arnold

On April 16, with the ice departed, the “call of the loon” returned to Caspian Lake. This call evokes feelings of wildness, solitude, and mystery — so a pause welcomes its return. The next day, a pair of loons was seen swimming amongst the remaining few ice floes. Ah, they are back to be enjoyed, witnessing their dives and returns to the surface many feet away. Observing their mysterious underwater travels: how far, how fast, and whether they will arise with a minnow in their beak for dinner.

Caspian Lake now has a steady number of loons each summer, mostly between 12 and 18 when counted annually. The loon population has made a good recovery statewide from its very endangered low numbers of years past. In 2017, a pair attempted to build a nest on shore and was challenged by a raccoon. Eric Hanson, Vermont eco-studies biologist, brought a raft with native foliage to assist with a safer nesting spot. The pair liked this option and quickly made it a home for two eggs. Just under a month later, Caspian Lake had its first pair of chicks in many decades.

On April 23 this year, the raft was readied in position for the tenth year, under the watchful eye of the mating pair. While they give the raft some interest by floating nearby, they typically wait until mid-May to climb aboard. It is only a guess that this is the same pair from year to year. No one is completely certain as there have been two different intruder loon battles in the past few years, with one most likely changing the partnership. Over nine years, a pair of eggs have been produced each year, totaling 18 eggs. One of the intruder battles occurred when the eggs were on the nest, so they were left unattended for incubation for half a day, and never hatched. So, 16 chicks haven been produced over nine years.

The other intruder battle happened when the chicks were about one month old. This battle resulted in one parent and one chick escaping to other side of lake. One chick did not survive, and the other parent’s fate was unknown. Caspian Lake has assured it has raised 14 chicks to be juveniles. Last year, a juvenile was victim to an eagle. Another year a juvenile went missing towards the end of summer, fate unknown.

In past nine years, 13 juveniles have launched themselves in the fall to travel to ocean shores near Rhode Island and Connecticut. These loons will grow to adults on the ocean for three to five years before returning for summers back in Vermont, and very likely to a body of water within 25 miles of their birthplace. This successful increase is to be celebrated!

The raft checks in early May found no loon on the nest. Nearby, an active pair were seen regularly claiming territory. “Hello friends” made a good reply to their quiet “hoots.”

On May 15, the raft visit showed a parent on the nest. After about 15 minutes, the parent stood for a stretch and a single egg was seen in the nest bowl. After a quick egg turn, this parent settled itself down on the egg, where they are known to sit for hours. Loons are likely to lay an egg and follow with laying a second egg the next day. Loons are also “biparental.” Both male and females incubate and care for chicks equally.

To give these new parents a safe space, four warning signs were set afloat around the small cove protecting the raft. These signs let boaters and kayakers know to keep clear of this area.

A day later, a parent was laying in the nest bowl. Is it the male or female? The black and white loon patterns are identical; thus males and females cannot be told apart visually. If side by side, their size can identify the sex as the males are about 25 percent larger. How many eggs? Plus, how long will one have to wait to find out? The partner loon returns to the raft, circles and dives, and floats around. They hoot soft coos to each other, and then the partner is off fishing. After 15-20 minutes, partnership patterns repeat and there’s still no exchange of duties.

After an hour and a half, the nesting parent sits up. Can one or more eggs be seen? Not sure as the parent lays back down. Drat! Now, how much longer? Before, one can even sneeze, the parent is up again with a clear view of two beautiful eggs.

Tada!

Caspian loons are back at it again.

Incubation takes about 26-29 days before they hatch. With eggs laid on May 15 and 16, the estimated hatch date will be somewhere between June 10 to 12.

What happens next? Do we have a cliff hanger? Just so happens that on June 11, an 11-day celebration of art and conservation begins at the Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro. The event “Call of the Loon” shows off loon-themed art by 27 local artists. A reception will take place on Saturday, June 20, from 2-5 p.m. with talks by Eric Hanson and Eloise Girard between 3-4 p.m. kicking off the fiftieth anniversary of the Vermont Loon Conservation Project. Come hear the egg hatching results!