July 4, 2021: Jimmy Gets his Dinner

Lots of loon stories to share this week.  As reported earlier, Coco hatched on June 26, probably early in the morning of National Chocolate Pudding day.  Linda thought she heard/saw something around the nest so we went out to take a peek, and sure enough, there was one little ball of coco floating on the lake.

Coco on June 26, probably just a few hours old.

And both parents were with her!

Who's watching the nest to keep those predators away?

  The second egg was left unguarded.

For much of the day both parents were out with Coco, enough so that we thought the second egg had been abandoned.  Dave Thorpe was keeping LPC biologist Jayden Jech appraised so on the following day she came out to mark the egg on one side.  The plan was to check the egg again after 24 hours and if the egg had not been repositioned it would mean it had in fact been abandoned.  Dave recounts what happed next:

I went out in the morning [of June 27th] with the expectation that the nest would still be empty and was very surprised to find an adult on the nest so left quickly.  When Jayden arrived we approached the nest from a significant distance.  As we were sitting there one chick came off the nest, soon followed by another.  They were will hidden in the grass so we had doubts about what we though we saw but this photo confirms it.

It's hard to see but there are two chicks right under the adult's beak.  Photo by Dave Thorpe.

 

The other adult was nearby and calling but did not come to the nest.  We left hoping that adult would come to the nest.  After a half hour or so we returned to find the nest empty, both adults together and both chicks with them, well out in the [cove].

Jimmy, just hatched on June 27, gets what may be his first meal.  Photo by Dave Thorpe.

Jayden collected all the egg fragments, some of which looked very fresh.  We think it is possible the second chick hatched while we were watching earlier in the day.

Dave and Jayden were kind enough to let Linda name the second chick as well, and she crowned him Jimmy, in honor of Ice Cream Cake day. (Do you detect a theme here?)

There had been a few glimpses of leg bands on the female that made us think it was the loon banded on Lake Pemigewasset in 2019, but Deb Crowley got the first positive confirmation that in fact, our long-standing female loon had been replaced.

These bands confirm this is the Pemi female.  Photo by Deb Crowley.

We consider ourselves most fortunate to have the nest so close that we see the family many times during the day.  Initially they stayed in the area of the nest, but each day they have explored a bit farther, coming right by our dock on Thursday.  On their trip by in the rain on Friday we experienced a feeding event, and with the drab sky reducing reflection off the water, both adults' leg bands were visible enough to know who was who, and Jimmy is enough smaller than Coco to be able tell the siblings apart when they're near each other.  Being able to see the bands under the water made this a really interesting experience.  I apologize if it hints at some sexist stereotypes, but I'm just reporting the facts!  Here's how the feeding unfolded:  First, dad brings home the bacon while Coco stretches his tiny wings.

The leg bands on both adults are visible under the water.

"Who's turn is it for this one?"

"It's Jimmy's"

"Here you are"

But Jimmy doesn't seem interested and lets it go.

Mom and dad search for it to collect it again.

But dad says "Hey, if you don't want it that's up to you", while mom tracks the fish down.

"I got it"

"Here Jimmy, try again"

He's still not interested.

"It's awful big mom"

But mom has more patience with the kids than dad and goes after the minnow a third time.

And presents it again.

"Come on Jimmy, you really need to eat your fish if you're going to grow big and strong."

"Open wide"

"OK mom"

Down the hatch head first, tail flapping in the rain.

"There you go Jimmy"

Mom watches carefully as he gags it down.

So through a team effort, little Jimmy ate his dinner.  Maybe it's just their agreed-to division of duties:  Mom supervises dinner while dad goes out to catch more food.  At any rate, the parents are keeping the kids very busy and Coco and Jimmy are are already watching their parents fish and are taking short dives of their own.

That's Coco going for a practice dive.

It's hard, tiring work being a loon chick.

Happy Independence Day!