DUCKS, LOONS, GEESE~ARCHIVES

beans · **Posted:** Mon Apr 05, 2010 10:09 pm

I'm certainly looking forward to the loons! The cam wasn't turned on as of this morning. I'll be back to check. Judging from the pictures on the site, these are Common Loons. I believe they are the largest. Certainly a handful at the hospital! We love them, of course.

Beth · **Posted:** Wed Apr 14, 2010 10:58 am

Larry's -Loon news- :loveheart2:

Wednesday, April 14, 2010 7:33am

51 degrees Partly Cloudy Wind SSW 7mph
There is good news this morning!!

Just a few minutes ago, I happened to look over at the television [where I keep the picture on from the LoonCam most of the time] and the loons were up on the nest and mating.
This is very good news since it indicates that they are once again taking ownership of the nest and that we may actually be able to watch them again this year.
This is the first time this year that I have seen them actually up on the nest. As I have already told you, they have been in swimming around the nest platform but I have not seen them on the platform before now. There has been no nest building activity so far.
Right now the female is still sitting on the nest while the male swims a few feet away. She is not showing any signs of nest building but is just sitting there looking around at the nesting platform....as if she is asking herself 'I wonder if this will work for us? Yeah, I think this can work for a nest again.'
After a few minutes, she slips off the nest and the two of them swim off together.
So there is good news this morning!

Later today, the technical gurus should be here to install more equipment that is necessary to make this whole thing run and to be able to send a picture to you

no matter where in the world you are! Stop and think of the miracle of just that! That you can watch our loons no matter where you are in the world or how many miles away you are!
So hopefully, if all goes as planned, you will be able to once again watch our loons LIVE!
The anticipation starts to build!

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 63313

beans · **Posted:** Mon Apr 19, 2010 11:40 pm

Very good news about the loons!

kittenface · **Posted:** Thu Apr 22, 2010 8:49 pm

Ok I'm behind again
Did we know the loons are live? I just got an email telling me about it

Beth · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2010 7:56 am

kittenface wrote:

Ok I'm behind again
Did we know the loons are live? I just got an email telling me about it

Maine Loon nest went live about two days ago.
Minnesota Loon Cam is still not online :-(

Beth · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2010 5:48 pm

Minnesota Loon Cam 2010 is online with sound and night vision!!

beans · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:23 pm

Yay! I'm loony for loons! I believe we will be looking at Common Loons, the largest loons. There are also Pacific Loons, Red-throated Loons. Here are some pictures from Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds:

Common Loon with Chick

Pacific Loon

Red-throated Loon

The three adult loons are wearing their gorgeous breeding plumage

beans · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:23 pm

This is the first loon cam I've seen!

Beth · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:28 pm

My no#1 cam beans :loveshow:

...Hope you will help me post photos and comments!!

kittenface · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:41 pm

I'm so very happy for you Beth and Beans

Beth · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:49 pm

Hey Kitten, since this has night vision I hope to have some great photos each morning!!

We could have a night Looney crew :lol:

Beth · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:53 pm

beans · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2010 7:12 pm

This is slightly off-topic but may be of interest to those watching the loon cam.

In January, 2008, we had a seriously oiled Common Loon at the bird hospital. In this video, I am being trained to wash oiled wildlife. I'm holding the camera while the procedure is being explained. I didn't get a chance to show the bird wrapped up in a towel and brought to a net-bottom pen with a warm fan beneath it. I had to leave and turn on the fan under that sheet-draped pen before the washing was over. We always warm the pens ahead of time. Yes, the loon dried off and preened her feathers, as expected. Preening is the last step in waterproofing feathers. The birds must "zip them up." She was eventually released. :)

Video: An Oiled Loon Gets a Bath