Bird Cams Around the World

I peeked at the cam several times late last night, and she was awake the whole time. Rain was falling, too. And the temperature had dropped.

A few minutes ago, I caught her napping, a well-deserved nap!

So beautiful morning, Beth!

This pic is taken just a while ago. I'm wondering if this is male? This one is so very activ towards environment - like with ospreys and bald eagles I have seen (their role to take care of the nest security).



It took some weeks before I got the nest camera working and after that when getting in, no one was at home.
And now it has been lovely to be able to see this rare bird.

Hi Beth! Showed my kids this cam today, but I haven't been able to get it now for several hours...the circle just keeps going round and round and round and nothing happens. While the circle is going round, it shows that there are a number of people watching the cam. I had no problem getting it before...do you know what might be the problem? Since it's evening time, I was hoping to hear their song/sound so my kids could hear (and me as well). Thanks!

Thanks Beth...seems to always be my luck that when I want to do something, something is/goes wrong with that something . I like your circle joke......and Ringo was his name-o!

This was posted in the chat area - 113 viewers playing ringo bingo on the site!

PW-If you click on the Loon Cam in the brown area you can view the chat blog, Larry's Loon blog,
Viewers videos (shows the laying of the eggs!)

Thanks Beth, I'm sure about it, have to follow them very intensively.

Hi Beth...very nice pics...and yay for the cam being back up! After I showed my kids this cam, my older son (almost 15) said he read a very short folk tale when he was in elementary school called Raven and Loon...he recited it yesterday...have you ever heard of it? I guess it's about how they both start out white and how they each get their coloring (by/from each other)...it was interesting.

My son also said that loons don't walk very well - they are much better at swimming than they are walking. I have never seen one walk, but that makes sense since they do spend most, if not all, of their time in water (except when nesting). I don't even know what their feet look like, because anything that I've ever seen, they're always pictured in water or lying on a nest.

It's the placement of the loon's legs at the back of the body that make walking on land difficult. As you watch the loon get in and out of the water, she drags herself across the nest, sort of using her feet to push herself along. To fly, a loon must be in the water and needs a long "runway." A loon also lands in the water. Loons that have landed on wet, black-top roads, mistaking them for water, are stranded (and probably injured, too). They can't take off.

Here is a black and white picture of a loon's foot. As you can see, the foot is webbed between the toes, each of which has a small claw.



Unlike raptors, the loon doesn't use her feet to defend herself. She uses that very lethal beak! Her neck is long and she can reach out in a nano second and stab with her beak! A Canada Goose uses her wings, and I have seen rehabbers with red marks on their arms.

Thank you very much for the information 'beans'...very interesting! Kinda seems like they're somewhere in between birds and ducks/geese, because ducks/geese walk on land and I believe they also takeoff/land both in water and on land, although I see Canada geese do more walking/standing as opposed to 'swimming'. And I have no doubt that a loons beak is lethal...it looks it! Loons are just so unique looking and so beautiful, and many times look more like a decoy/painted picture rather than a live animal. I also love the sound they make, though some people find it eerie, and I hope one day to be able to see one in real life......from what I've read, they are not here in NY...supposedly only migrate through here to breed/nest further north.

Great info and beautiful, peaceful shots. I've never heard they only lay two eggs. I guess that's why they are not more widespread.

Incubation is done by both parents, 29 - 30 days, beginning with the first egg laid. The nestlings are precocial and downy. In fact, Common Loon nestlings are the darkest of all loon nestlings. They are attended by both parents, but sometimes only one remains until the end of the period. They may ride on their parents' back for the first two - three weeks, and may feed themselves after six weeks. They'll fly around twelve weeks, taking off and landing in the water.


Common Loon with two babies

How cute Beth!!

Too cute Beth!

Such beautiful loon pictures here, plus great information on the loons (now I know why I've never seen them "walk"). Thanks to all who've posted here!

So wonderful cute pictures here!!!