June 21, 2026: We have Chicks!

We have our first loon chick of 2026, earlier than anticipated. Eagle-eye loon-watcher Amy saw it on the morning of June 17 with both adults tending to it, far away from the nest.  Which raised the question, was there a second egg?  With the three loons well away from the nest, Amy checked the nest and found an unattended egg just sitting there.  So we called the Loon Preservation Committee and they said the parents may return to it, but we should mark it and check again in 12 hours to see if it had been turned. If not, it would be an inviable egg.  So following the described procedures, I went to mark it.  When I got close, I could see it was damaged - there was a crack in the shell.

But then I thought I saw the crack move.  And then I heard a peep!

The crack was the chick inside starting to peck its way out!  I couldn't resist taking some pictures before I got out of there, hoping the parents would hear it calling and return.

When I checked again in early evening, one loon was back on sentry near the nest, and the other was on the nest, and the next morning - there were two chicks!

Riding on mom's back.

Two chicks safely tucked up under dad's strong wing.

So now the addictive draw of watching baby chicks being raised has begun. One parent dives constantly to find tiny minnows for the chicks. Sometimes it takes a bit for the small fluff balls to build up the confidence to swallow what must appear huge to them. But when they're hungry enough, they do it.

Mom takes a well deserved nap.

While dad quietly brings in dinner.

Junior takes over.

It's a big bite.

Going down.

And dad's already searching the next fish.

Unfortunately, the good news didn't last long. The very next night there was a lot of loud ruckus on the lake, and the next morning, only one chick was to be seen.  The pair has been fending off a rogue loon the past few days, and that may be culprit of the chick's demise.  It was hard to watch the adults floating in the lake for hours that morning, scanning the water and cooing gently in hopes of locating their lost chick.  Contrary to the tranquil appearance, being a loon is not an easy life.

We assume the surviving chick is the older, larger, stronger of the two.  The tradition on Wicwas is that a chick is named by the first person to see it.  Amy named our little one "Northern Pip".  

Meanwhile, the southern pair has taken up residence on their nest, and because it's in a more travelled part of the lake, signs have been placed to alert boaters.   Please encourage anyone you see too close to back off a bit.

Southern nest.  Photo by Dave Thorpe.

Earlier in the week I saw a different bird collecting food for its young chicks. 

A Tree Swallow with a beak full of damselflies.

There have been a lot of tree swallows zooming all over the lake this spring, feasting on the plentiful insect population that thrives near water.

On land, the mammals are raising their young as well.  I came across a doe that was nursing a tiny, tiny, fawn right along the edge of the road beside the Hamlin Town Forest.  I was on my bike and I stopped. Mom stared at me for a moment, then walked calmly off, dissolving into the forest. The fawn, confused, stood there for a second or two before wobbling off on its spindly little legs to find its mother.  A second four legged animal we're not quite sure we're happy about is a skunk family that has taken up residence behind the house. So far we haven't seen anything more than a few little black and white fur balls scurrying around in the trees as mom shoes them back into the den.

The skunk family residence in the rocky hill behind the house.

Soon enough they'll be out exploring their neighborhood, and though skunks are mostly nocturnal, juveniles will often sneak out during nap time when mom is sleeping.  Fortunately, young skunks don't develop the ability to spray for about three months, and by that time we hope they have learned to sleep whenever we might be out and about!

We'll be in loon overload for next couple of months, so I'll end with another of nature's summer light show.

The crescent moon was back to join Venus and Jupiter in the western sky.