July 19, 2026: Annual Loon Census

The Loon Preservation Committee's Annual Loon Census took place yesterday.  Each year, LPC hosts an annual Loon Census, when from 8:00 to 9:00am on a Saturday in July, volunteers count loons to collect data that helps the LPC monitor New Hampshire’s loons and their progress on lakes throughout the state.  This year, Lake Wicwas was well represented, showcasing a total of seven loons in the census.  The star of course, was little Pip.

Pip and a parent.

Pip was spotted with both parents at 8:16am in the far northwest corner of the northern pair's territory.

The northern territory family.

A big fish being prepared for Pip.

Pip's parents continue to provide generous meals, though Pip spends a lot of time with its head submerged studying the experts to learn how to fish for itself.  

At the same moment this was being observed, Team-Thorpe was observing three loons in the south territory, two of which are assumed to be the banded south pair.  The third was likely a rogue, looking for nesting territory for itself.  Then around 8:50am, those three were joined by a fourth loon, right at the boundary between the two nesting territories.  

Four loons on the boundary line.

I wonder if the two resident pairs are both pushing the rogues towards the other pairs territory, pinning them at the boundary.  I was able to confirm from the female's leg bands that the south pair (at a minimum the female) was part of this asylum.

Not a great look, but good enough to see the blue and green bands.

So, Lake Wicwas contributed a total of seven loons to the census.  The overall results will be reported by the LPC later in the year.  For more information on our loons, be sure to attend the Lake Wicwas Annual Meeting on August 1st at the Wicwas Grange.

This week I made my first visit to the Red Hill River Conservation Area with a long-time hiking partner.  It's a beautiful, quiet area in Sandwich with a well-flowing stream, an interesting network of gentle trails, and some large, mature trees.  

Red Hill River in Sandwich.

One of many good size White Pines and Hemlocks on the property.

We hiked a 2.5 mile loop along part of the river and over a small hill, and there are other route options as well.  We even discovered an old cellar hole along the route.

A cellar hole with remnants of a stove and brick chimney.

This area is definitely worth a visit; you can find trail information and driving directions here.

There were plenty of  interesting sights back around Lake Wicwas as well.  On one walk I came across a large pile of feathers beside a fallen tree.

It wasn't hard to identify who these feathers belonged to - can you guess the owner?

The bright blue and white colors indicate a Blue Jay met its demise here.  Determining the identity of the predator took a little more digging.  The conditions of the feathers gives an important clue:  note how the feathers are intact, clean, and undamaged. Mammals - bobcat, fox, etc. - tear into their food, ripping, shredding and damaging feathers in the process.  But these feathers have been cleanly plucked right out of the bird; a trademark raptor food-prep method.  Also, raptors frequently sit on a log or a branch to prepare their food, then, after the excess, non-consumable weight is removed, they'll take it away to be consumed elsewhere by themselves or their mate and young.

So, this is likely a raptor kill site.  I first wondered if it might be the Broad-winged Hawk I saw last week, but broad-winged hawks are too large and insufficiently agile to catch a bird in flight; they primarily feed on rodents and amphibians, though they will pluck a baby bird from a nest if they find one.  Broad-winged hawks are buteos which are generally considered ambush predators.

The raptor that caught this blue jay was most likely an accipiter, which in New Hampshire includes Sharp-shinned Hawks and Cooper Hawks.  These birds are smaller, with short wings and long tails that allow them fly fast and maneuver deftly though tight trees in pursuit of prey.  One source I found said blue jays are a "classic meal" for a Cooper's Hawk, so maybe that was it.

A highlight of the week was a quick visit from the three brothers.

Three River Otters play in the lake.

Otters have round tails, unlike the flat tail of beavers.

These are most certainly the three otters I tracked all winter (I don't know that they're brothers) taking a playful cruise far out in the cove one morning on their way down to the dam and Mill Brook, possibly heading over to Lake Winnisquam.  

I'll close with another cheery face, this one sent to me by a friend and fellow musician that lives in Moultonborough (thank you BB!).  This little guy was checking out some good smell that attracted its attention.

It's better to have a woodchuck staring in your window than a black bear!