My husband and I just returned from a week of camping/ birding in north
central WA and I wanted to share what we learned about the nesting
success of Common Loons in that area. My report is based largely on
second-hand information. (From Camp Hosts at both Ferry Lake and Lost
Lake, we learned that a researcher named "Ginger" spent much of this
spring and summer monitoring the loons -- including measuring the eggs,
banding the chicks, and having small fish brought to a lake if the
resident fish were too large for the loons -- but we did not meet her.)

On Sunday night we camped at Swan Lake and were charmed to see a pair
of adults and one immature on the lake. The Camp Host told us that two
chicks had hatched but only one had made it through the summer. Early
on Monday morning, an adult at one end of the lake began calling to the
adult and immature at the other end and we enjoyed watching them come
together. As they began to swim away, we saw the rear adult give a
hurried yodel and dive as a Bald Eagle flew overhead.

When we stopped at Ferry Lake later in the morning, the Camp Host told
us that a pair of loons had successfully hatched and raised two chicks
and the whole family had flown away a few days before we got there.

On Tuesday night we camped at Lost Lake. Before our trip, this was the
only lake (outside of the Cedar River watershed) where we expected to
find nesting loons. We quickly found a pair of adult loons there no
immatures. The Camp Host (of 16 years) told us that a pair of loons
has nested there regularly, but for the past three years, a Bald Eagle
has taken both chicks soon after they have hatched and the loons have
not nested a second time. He said that the loons on Bonaparte Lake had
suffered a similar fate. The Lost Lake pair was clearly getting ready
to leave. Early on Wed. morning, they took to the air, circling the
lake a couple of times -- giving their thrilling calls -- before
returning to the water. Later, one of them did a solo flight around
the lake. The Camp Host said they would do this for a number of days
before finally departing.

Vicki King, Seattle
vicki at kingdesign.net