June 20, 2021: Rocky Mountain Pelicans

On our final hike in steamboat springs last week we went up to find an abandoned uranium mine just east of steamboat. We weren't far up the trail when a flock of large birds came soaring up the west flank of the mountain from the Yampa valley.

A flock of large birds over the Yampa Valley, the Flattop Mountains are in the distance.

In the distance it was clear they were large with some white visible so my mind went to bald eagles, but I'd never seen eagles in a flock, let alone in formation. I lost sight of them as they dipped below the tree line but a few minutes later they circled up nearer to the ridge we were hiking and I got a better look - they were pelicans! 

American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

I remember reading somewhere about pelicans in Colorado but didn't really believe it, and certainly never expected to see them. But there they were, undisputable pelicans; I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen them with my own eyes.  Turning to my favorite bird resource, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, I find that they migrate across much of America west of the Mississippi river on their way to breeding grounds primarily in Canada, but also in pockets of Colorado, Wyoming, and the Dakotas. So much for me thinking they are purely ocean birds - though the brown pelicans I see in South Carolina are strictly seacoast dwellers.

Back in new Hampshire we've had some perfect summer weather, simply ideal for a guided paddle around Lake Wicwas on Friday.  The Lakes Region Conservation Trust organized the paddle which was attended by an enthusiastic group of twelve kayakers and canoers who toured eight LRCT-protected easements as well as four protected by the town of Meredith.

A colorful group prepares to depart on a two-hour tour.

The paddle was organized and led by LRCT Land and Stewardship Director Dave Mallard and me.

New Hampshire is incredibly fortunate to have so many generous, forward-looking people who have seen the importance of protecting our water and land resources.  On the trip we saw loons, kingbirds, painted turtles, yellow warblers, tree swallows and even got a glimpse of the loon nest.  In the marshes we saw blue flags (wild iris) and rose pogonia blooming.  

Rose Pogonia (Pogonia ophioglossoides)

Blue Flag (Iris versicolor)

The iris are almost gone-by but the small and delicate rose pogonia will be in bloom for a while - look for both in dense, boggy wetlands.

We're still waiting for definitive confirmation of the female nesting loon as she's been quite protective of her leg bands.  I did confirm there are two eggs still in the nest, though it was a little concerning that the nest was unoccupied with only one parent nearby, nonchalantly preening near the nest.

Two eggs sit unattended.

There were no boats in the area and no indication of where the other loon was or why it left the nest.  Hopefully it just needed a quick dip to cool off.

There was another large flying creature that landed on the lake when we were away, but the quick eye of Debby Crowley caught the renegade as it came in for a landing.  

Landing on Wicwas.  Photo by Debby Crowley.

Debby reported that the loons did not appreciate the stranger on the lake, but they also apparently didn't run off to hide - maybe they were curious about this large, noisy intruder too.

 A loon checks out the unusual beast.  Photo by Debby Crowley.

While I'm sharing stories from outside the Lakes Region I want to share this fabulous picture a friend took of a red-tailed hawk sitting in the top of tree along the Marginal Way in Ogunquit Maine.

Red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis).  Photo by John Windyka.

  

Red-tailed hawks are very large birds, and with a wing span of almost five feet they are often mistaken as immature bald eagles.  Keep an eye on the sky for both of them which are present in the Lakes Region.  This is one of the best photos I've seen of a red-tailed, with the sun illuminating the tail from above and those steely eyes staring right down at the camera.  Thanks for sharing John, and thanks also to PC for sharpening up the photo!

Finally, happy Father's Day to my dad and all fathers - this is your day to enjoy and remember what joy you've brought to the world.  Here's one many-times over dad, who's hopefully about to become a new father once again:

The soon-to-be father enjoying some personal time on the lake before his life gets very busy.

Now this late breaking news:  Claranne B. just reported a moose swimming along the shore of Lake Wicwas!  It the stomped right up onto land and walked across Loon Point.  It's a rare treat to see a moose, and great to know they are roaming around the Lakes Region!

June 28, 2015

Good news on loon nesting in New Hampshire so far this summer:  Lake Sunapee had a successful nesting for the first time in decades, as reported by NHLakes in their most recent newsletter.  And a local loon watcher sent me some fabulous pictures taken by photographer Kittie Wilson of two loon chicks on Pleasant Lake in New London. 

Loon Family on Pleasant Lake (photo by Kittie Wilson)

Furthermore, the loons that were the subject of the "Loon Cam" one the Loon Preservation Committee's web site also fledged at least on chick - a good start for the season.

The nesting loons on Lake Wicwas are several weeks behind these early birds, but with care from us humans and some help from nature, we can hope to have our own loon chicks in a couple more weeks.  The rain the past week raised the lake level a bit but not a enough to be a problem.  Let's hope all the rain today doesn't flood the lake any more.  There are a couple of boards in the dam right now which can be removed to help maintain the level.  Our local loon watchers will be attentive to this;  the town of Meredith has been most cooperative in maintaining a favorable lake level.

A few weeks ago I blogged about an encounter with a raccoon.  Well, Bruce Bouley had a similar encounter, but his was in broad daylight, rather unusual for a raccoon.  Bruce said the animal didn't appear to be sick, but he was able to get a great picture which he offered for the blog.

Raccoon in mid-day  (Photo by Bruce Bouley)

Rabies decimated the raccoon population several years ago, and is something to be aware of when animals exhibit unusual behavior;  I haven't heard of any such problems recently.

There is starting to be a lot of color on the water now - on a kayak trip along the edges of the lake I noticed that the Rose Pagonia are blooming in the marshes.

Rose Pogonia (Pogonia ophioglossoides)

And of course, the water lilies are coming out, first the Yellow Pond Lilies.

The Sweet White Lilies will follow shortly.  These water plants are plentiful, and thankfully are native species.  In addition to the good news about loons, the most recent NHLakes newsletter also provided some bad news regarding invasive species:  milfoil has infested another New Hampshire lake, this time Turee Pond in Bow.  Turee Pond doesn't have either a Lake Host program or a Weed Watcher program, so by the time the invasion was discovered it was well established and probably can't be eradicated.  (Read the NH DES report here.)  Fortunately Lake Wicwas has dedicated volunteers who support both these programs, and everyone who uses the lake can help.  If you ever see any weed growth that looks unusual or in any way of concern, please report it - to a Lake Host, to a Lake Wicwas Association board member, or to Amy Smagula at the NH Department of Environmental Services.  They would much rather have a false alarm than miss an early detection opportunity.

Variable Milfoil - Report it if you see this in any NH lake

As for the animals, they were a little shy this week - except for the chipmunks which seem to be having a population explosion.  Where are all those hawks and foxes!  But I did find this Gray Catbird foraging in the undergrowth beside the lake one morning. 

Gray Catbird

The catbird is member of the Family Mimidae - as is the mockingbird - and it has the ability to mimic other birds, and even frogs and toads.  But its call (versus its song) is eerily similar to that of a cat.  So if you ever hear a cat calling from deep in the forest underbrush around the lake, look carefully and you may find a bird instead.  And while you're looking in the next few weeks, keep an eye out for milfoil - and baby loons!