November 26, 2020: Happy Thanksgiving!

I decided to post early this week so I could wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope you found a way to connect with your family and friends - we need some warmth in our lives on this cool and wet Thanksgiving 2020.

After a cold morning in Meredith the ice on Lake Wicwas was creeping out into the lake, further evidence that winter is getting closer.

But, to my surprise, Betty and Harold are still here!  I had seen a couple of loons fishing far out in the lake several times this week and they were acting suspiciously like our two loon chicks.

Harold and Betty, still on Lake Wicwas.

But they were also fishing in deep water, and I wasn't confident I could differentiate between five month old juveniles and molting adults this late in the year.  So I sent a few grainy pictures off to John Cooley at the Loon Preservation Committee, and he was able to confirm they are juveniles.

With that expert input I am confident these two are Betty and Harold.  John said the scalloped pattern on their backs is a distinctive feature on juvenile loons.  

They returned the next day and came close enough for a better look.

He added that one and two year old "sub-adults" have a more subtle version of this pattern, but when it's this distinct one can be confident it's a juvenile.  

John was pleased to hear that two of them are getting along well together in contrast to the sibling rivalry that loons often display.  He noted also the fact they are foraging in deep water and catching large fish is a good sign as they move onto their new fishing grounds in the Atlantic Ocean.  Our new loon couple that has taken over Harris Cove as their home appear to be excellent parents!

"Hey, are you going to share that?"

Now we just have to hope they have the good sense to get out of Dodge before ice-in.  It's nice to know we have observers on all corners of the lake who will keep watch as the ice closes in and reduces the take-off runways.  It seems every year the LPC has to go out and rescue a loon or two that doesn't get off their lake in time.

I had another interesting wildlife encounter this week.  I was on my to get the mail right around sunset when I came over a rise in the road and saw three deer standing in the middle of the road, mom and her two kids. Mom didn't hesitate for an instant, in fact, she acted so quickly that she literally leaped right over both her kids - which are pretty much full grown now - to dash off into the woods. One of the kids sprinted right off after her but the other just froze, kind of like the proverbial deer in the headlights.  But then it regained it's composure and also ran off, but in the opposite direction.  

Walking back down the road after retrieving the mail I could hear, and occasionally see through the leafless trees, the separated deer bounding along ahead of me.  Then about half way back there came a dramatic crashing of hooves through the forest up towards the road, and dashing across right in front of me was mom, with junior about 30 yards behind in rapid pursuit!  Mom clearly didn't waste any time running ahead to round up her lost child and bring the family back together.  Everything happened so quickly I wasn't able to get any pictures, but it was an experience to remember and that image of Mrs. Whitetail vaulting over her kids is burned into my memory!

It looked kind of like this.

Happy Thanksgiving wherever you are (or were), and I hope you enjoyed a nice turkey dinner, just not one these guys!

July 4, 2020: Introducing Harold and Betty

Happy fourth of July!  (I'm posting early this week so people will be on the lookout for little loon chicks if they are on the lake this weekend.)

It was an up and down week for the loons.  The down moment occurred some time overnight on June 29th when several people heard a terrible racket of distressed loon calls late at night.  The next morning observers saw that the Bryant Island loon nest had been abandoned and both loons were well away from the nest.  Inspection of the nest revealed no sign of eggs nor egg fragments -  and this was the nest that had a visual sighting of two eggs earlier in the month.  The question is, what predated the nest?  Being a nocturnal predator; my first guess would be a raccoon - they are known egg robbers - but just this week Amy Wilson spotted a black bear swimming in the lake travelling among the islands in the area of the nest.

Black bear cruising the waters of Lake Wicwas.  Photo by Amy Wilson.

So that's a likely candidate for the loss of the nest; a couple of loons would be no match for a bear attack.

This pair  successfully fledged Harley and Davidson last year, so the loss of the nest is a disappointment.  It's early enough that they could have tried a second nesting - we've had nests started as late as July 8th in the past, but there is no sign of that happening.  Rather than re-nesting, they may be spending their time harassing the other new parents on the lake.

And that is the good news!  The Harris Cove nest hatched two chicks, most likely on June 30th and July 1st.  The chicks were first spotted by Russ Brummer and shortly thereafter by Craig Smith.  Russ and Craig agreed to name our two new chicks Harold and Betty - that story is told below.  The first photograph of the new little fluff balls was taken by Amy Wilson, from afar so as not to bother them

Lake Wicwas' newest members.  Photo by Amy Wilson.

A couple days later I found one of the chicks riding along on mother's back but no sign of the other.  I was only slightly concerned, knowing the other chick was likely snuggling under mom's wing.

I say it was mom, not knowing for sure of course, because farther along in my paddle I came across a group of five loons off the mouth of Harris Cove.

Three of the four intruders being kept at bay.  (No pun intended.)

The group was behaving in an aggressive manner, doing their circle dance with lots of head bobbing and occasional diving.

Who's watching whom?

My guess is that dad was one of the five, keeping the intruders out of the cove and a safe distance from mom and the chicks.  Perhaps two of the others were the Bryant Island pair, though I saw no bands.  One of the loons ran off (literally) at one point, but came back again shortly. 

It takes a long runway to get a loon airborne.

Farther along still in my trip I saw two of the five loons take off, fly high above the lake, circle around once completely, and then fly off together over the trees. 

Intruders successfully repelled.    Check out those webbed feet!

The Harris Cove pair, assuming its the same pair that's been here since 2016, has yet to fledge a chick.  They did hatch one chick in 2017 (that was the August 8th nest) which being so late was named Tardy.  However we believe poor Tardy met his fate at the talons of a hawk.  Let's hope they can protect Betty and Harold this year - it's not easy raising a family in today's world.

Now about their names.  Craig and Eric Smith have been coming to Lake Wicwas since they were kids.  Craig relates this history: 

"The six members of the Smith family have been friends to Evelyn and Rodger Harris's family in Lincoln for as long as we can remember. We rented the [Blue Heron Lodge] lodge in the late 70s to early 80s and then the farmhouse after that. The Smith family literally grew up on the shores of Lake Wicwas.  

"Our parents, Harold and Betty, are two people that enjoyed the lake together for more than 50 years. They loved nature and in particular the loons. Our mother Betty enjoyed watching the loons from the water and our father Harold (who passed in 2019) trying to talk to them by mimicking their calls. It is our joy to be able to name these two newest Wicwas residents in their honor."

Eric added:

"Both Harold and Betty loved/love going up to the lake.   [They] took us many times when we were kids (so ... 45'ish years ago) and now we kids are continuing that with going up as adults (and bringing them!)  Wicwas is a magical place, I wish I could spend more time up there."

Eric sent this photo of his parents, Harold and Betty, sitting on the deck of the Blue Heron Lodge.

Harold and Betty Smith, Lake Wicwas, July 3, 2007

Thank you Craig and Eric for sharing your story.  Clearly, Lake Wicwas touches everyone who spends time here.

As a final touch, Russ Brummer adds that Betty is his mother's name, and Harold is Amy's grandfather's name.  When you're on the lake this summer, please be watchful, and give Betty and Harold a wide berth.

Photo by Amy Wilson.  Thank you for sharing your wonderful photography.

Have a great Independence Day!