Winnipesaukee Forum

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- Winni Wildlife (https://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=30)

- - Loon pic (https://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14855)

This Loon came up alongside the dock....Doing some Early Autumn fishing in Wolfeboro Bay today. The Loon that is...not me.:laugh:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...pse3bd0ebe.jpg

I've seen two Loons by the Wolfeboro docks that will "hog the lens" for you. ;)

My city visitors called them—"Urban Loons"! :laugh:

They are sizing you up to see if they can eat you.:eek:

Haven't seen any loons around Lake Shore Park for a few weeks. When do they typically leave for the ocean?

They leave aound Thanksgiving just before ice begins to form. It 's funny how they know. Just as they know when ice out occurs and they appear. Now they tend to start leaving the bays and gathering in groups though so you might see several together. They do come back and forth in the bays though, just don't stay as they do in the summer.

Loons are racing around on the surface, perhaps to help shed some worn feathers for new feathers, anticipating their migration to New England's and Florida's- ocean waters. (With "intermediate stops" at fresh water lakes).

Last week, a seagull appeared to dive on a Loon, which was surfacing every five seconds. I gradually sailed closer to the Loon (within six feet) and saw it near a dense school of 1" fish. There were a few tiny fish from that school that were apparently stunned by the Loon, and the seagull was snapping them up.

A similar school of small fish was at Carry Beach last week, and from the road you could see 14 Mergansers racing in the shallowest areas trying to catch them—making "rooster tails" with their heads.

On a later afternoon, sitting on the 58-degree porch being comforted by an electric infra-red heater—I again saw two seagulls "acting-up" in a narrow area of the opposite shore. I picked up binoculars, and sure enough, a total of three Loons eventually surfaced.

I've been watching for decades, so I'm definitely late to this "game" of Loon and Seagull. :look:

I've been watching 6 Loons by the GI bridge, never seen so many at once. There's been a pair here for a few years. Looks like five of them are headed toward the Weirs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fargo (Post 191762)

I've been watching 6 Loons by the GI bridge, never seen so many at once. There's been a pair here for a few years. Looks like five of them are headed toward the Weirs.

That's what they do this time of year. They "gather " in groups.

I just stumbled on a poem written by forum member JScott, and posted at a Wolfeboro forum:

The Loon segment is quoted here:

Quote:

"A loon at dusk makes his call to his mate, who is not far, black bird white collar, red for eyes,a priestly figure with fire inside, wave taps at the side of the craft, as paddle pushes on- silently, only the plip of water drops in the black of star shimmer glass. The fire burning of sunset has been vanquished behind horizon and the cool of night dew has fallen, starry glass shimmer crystal lights in distant view, twinkling as the evening sky, along the waters edge, distant, no sound- Head to the darkness of the moon lit sky- white puff of cloud in mirror ahead- blip of fish wrinkles image and the push of paddle, only the plip of water drops in the black star shimmer glass. Onward into the night."

—of Woodsmoke and Quiet Places.

For anyone interested, there is a live cam of a nesting loon on Lake Kanasatka. It isn't Winni and it's the loon is on a floating artificial nest.
http://www.kanasatka.org/kw_webcam.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by pam.in.ny (Post 204930)

For anyone interested, there is a live cam of a nesting loon on Lake Kanasatka. It isn't Winni and it's the loon is on a floating artificial nest.
http://www.kanasatka.org/kw_webcam.html

Where is it located? I was working down on that lake about a week ago, I could here many loon calls and saw one. Beautiful lake.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Belmont Resident (Post 204939)

Where is it located? I was working down on that lake about a week ago, I could here many loon calls and saw one. Beautiful lake.

The website says; "on the shoreline next to Camp DeerHill."

There is a loon nesting on the artificial nest in Lee's Mill. It is a beautiful sight!

We checked out Robert's Cove nest yesterday and didn't see a loon nesting on it-yet.