Baby Loon

[Grant]

My son and I took a long canoe trip last weekend, and happened upon this baby loon, whose mom was across the way fetching food. He wasn't very scared of us, so I snapped a few photos and continued...

[Woodsy]

in a word... AWESOME!! Great pic Grant!

Woodsy

[donnamatrix]

Did you just take this photo?? Isn't it a little late in the season for a baby loon of this size? I know they had a hard time nesting this year, because the water level has been so high... will this little guy grow enough between now and end of season when it's time to migrate ?

[sa meredith]

I thought the same thing. A baby loon in late August? Cute, but may not stand a chance.
Perhaps the photo was taken a while back, but just posted now?

[SAMIAM]

We've seen twice the number of adult loons this year......but no babies

[NickNH]

We have a baby right now in our cove in Moultonborough. We saw 2 babies about 2 weeks ago but it looks like only one made it:(. Of course, maybe if the speed boats would stop flying by within feet of the WARNING BABY LOON sign and the kayakers would stop following them around there may be a better chance for this one but I digress....:mad:

The baby IS diving now and showing some sign of it's mature coat so lets hope for a warm Fall......

[Grant]

Sorry for the delay in responding...been busy traveling throughout the Northeast...it never ends.

To answer the question, the photo was taken on August 14 in 19 Mile Bay. Although the little guy still had a lot of down, he was doing alright for himself, was probably 12-14 inches long, and was busy looking under the water for something to eat. I'd imagine he/she would be quite a bit larger before the loons leave for their offshore winter homes in another 8-9 weeks.

A couple of additional shots from that day (sorry for the enormous size...):

[tis]

We have a baby right now in our cove in Moultonborough. We saw 2 babies about 2 weeks ago but it looks like only one made it:(. Of course, maybe if the speed boats would stop flying by within feet of the WARNING BABY LOON sign and the kayakers would stop following them around there may be a better chance for this one but I digress....:mad:

The baby IS diving now and showing some sign of it's mature coat so lets hope for a warm Fall......

As APS said, there is one near WinnMir in Winter Harbor. It appeared on July 15th which is late, as they usually appear around July 4th. I agree, people are so "bonehead" about them. I know they mean well and only want to see them, but the kayakers get close to them and "drive" them which scares them out of a safe place into the middle of boat travel. They surrond them or get between them and and the shore, which makes them want to escape and not feel trapped. And speed boats don't often watch for them either. Someone on a jet ski tried to hit the baby the other day but fortunately missed. Someone in a boat spoke to him, but too bad he get his number to report him.

[eillac@dow]

Grant....I saw the same baby. It had to of been the same one. I was also over at Pier 19 that weekend. We went over to get gas. The baby and it's mom were over by the gas dock.

Sorry to say, but we barely saw it until the last moment....and we were going very slowly as we were approaching the gas dock! We pass the baby and the next thing we see is the mom pop up and then darts under the water again....right next to us. My sister who was sitting in the back of the boat had no idea that there was a baby or a mother loon there...she happens to look at the water and saw the mother loon swimming..barely under the water (the mom had just dove under). I saw it too and it was really amazing. Of course it all happened so fast, my sister had no clue what it was until I told her it was a loon.

It was an amazing sight....probably one I will never see again and one that I hope to never see again (only because we got so close and God only knows what could have happened).

Just wanted to share!

Eillac@Dow

[Grant]

Lots of adults on the northeastern side of the Lake this summer. My son and I came across a group of EIGHT adults swimming together in Moultonborough Bay one evening a few weeks ago. My wife and I saw group of three off of Black Island on Monday, and another pair and a few singletons on the same cruise. The Biblical rains this summer might've impacted nesting...but I am not an expert and don't know for sure.

Watch out for the little ones, and reel in any baited lines when you see an adult cruising nearby -- they will take your bait! (I speak from horrifying experience...)

[GTO]

Grant....I saw the same baby. It had to of been the same one. I was also over at Pier 19 that weekend. We went over to get gas. The baby and it's mom were over by the gas dock.

Sorry to say, but we barely saw it until the last moment....and we were going very slowly as we were approaching the gas dock! We pass the baby and the next thing we see is the mom pop up and then darts under the water again....right next to us. My sister who was sitting in the back of the boat had no idea that there was a baby or a mother loon there...she happens to look at the water and saw the mother loon swimming..barely under the water (the mom had just dove under). I saw it too and it was really amazing. Of course it all happened so fast, my sister had no clue what it was until I told her it was a loon.

It was an amazing sight....probably one I will never see again and one that I hope to never see again (only because we got so close and God only knows what could have happened).

Just wanted to share!

Eillac@Dow



We always have loons around our dock, I think because there are plenty of small fish for feeding on. They seem to be getting braver and popping up feet from the dock as we are lying there. They don't seem to panic when they pop up and hang around for along time. Last summer we had one swimming underwater back and forth under our dock. Real cool sight. My dog was with me and she was darting from side to side watching also. I don't know their actual speed underwater but they are fast.

[donnamatrix]

Just another reason to dislike the jetski folks ... but why, in the name of all that is holy, would ANYBODY purposely try to kill a loon chick .. or any youngster. Extremely distressing to read this.

[Mee-n-Mac]

Just another reason to dislike the jetski folks ... but why, in the name of all that is holy, would ANYBODY purposely try to kill a loon chick .. or any youngster. Extremely distressing to read this.


Yes indeed all "jetski folk" are all baby loon killers (or at least try real hard to be). Nary a good one in the bunch. I say we round 'em all up and burn them at the stake. Mind you RGal and RGuy are pretty wiley and might hole up in their Rattlesnake enclave. And let's not even mention IGal, I think her "jetski" is that special red one, red for loon blood no doubt !

[SIKSUKR]

Yup,I'm another one that heads out on the water on my PWC and aims at loons...and kids...and....give me a break with generalizations.Why wouldn't the post read "just another reason to dislike the kayak folks" for their scaring the loons into boat traffic lanes?

[GTO]

Yup,I'm another one that heads out on the water on my PWC and aims at loons...and kids...and....give me a break with generalizations.Why wouldn't the post read "just another reason to dislike the kayak folks" for their scaring the loons into boat traffic lanes?I usually wait for them to surface and try and get them with my water balloon slingshot. (I'm Kidding!)

[tgbs9114]

Went for a slow cruise into Winter Harbor last Friday 8/28 and went to the left ( don't know the name of coves ) all the way to the end and found two growing baby Loon's following their mom's. There were signs up in the cove stating that this was a loon breeding ground and I was suprised that you had to get so close to actually read what the signs said, with that said... There had to be at least 4 boats doing water sports along with a couple of jet skis that went into the direct path of these beautiful birds. I think that either the signs need to be MUCH bigger or need to make that end of the cove a no wake zone for the potection of these birds. The first is just two adult loons and the second ( look behind the adult ) is the growing baby, not the best picture.

[tis]

That's the baby the guy tried to run over. I agree, the signs are too small.

[Grant]

We always have loons around our dock, I think because there are plenty of small fish for feeding on. They seem to be getting braver and popping up feet from the dock as we are lying there. They don't seem to panic when they pop up and hang around for along time. Last summer we had one swimming underwater back and forth under our dock. Real cool sight. My dog was with me and she was darting from side to side watching also. I don't know their actual speed underwater but they are fast.

I've always wanted to see one dart by underwater while diving. It would probably startle the hell of me, but it would be cool. I have seen one dart by off the front of the dock, but didn't realize exactly what I saw until it surfaced a little later.

[KPW]

found two growing baby Loon's following their mom's.

Most likely was mom and dad with two babies.

[VitaBene]

I found this on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQme1IrGlEU&NR=1

[ApS]

"...Went for a slow cruise into Winter Harbor last Friday 8/28 and went to the left ( don't know the name of coves )..."
Winter Harbor is 95% surrounded by the Town of Wolfeboro.

I call that narrow inlet abutting Rt. 109, "Tuftonboro Bay". (The antique map that appears regularly in the center of The Weirs Times calls it that—maybe because it is totally surrounded by the Town of Tuftonboro? :emb: ;)

Thinking about it some more, Winter Harbor is far less of "a harbor" than Tuftonboro Bay is of being "a bay". With one being wind-swept, and the other calm, shouldn't they be named "Winter Bay" and "Tuftonboro Harbor"? :confused:

I've always wanted to see one dart by underwater while diving. It would probably startle the hell of me, but it would be cool. I have seen one dart by off the front of the dock, but didn't realize exactly what I saw until it surfaced a little later.
There was a professional photographer's website with many underwater pictures of Loons. This site (http://bwfov.typepad.com/birders_world_field_of_vi/2007/07/underwater-loon.html) isn't it, but this photo appears there:

http://bwfov.typepad.com/birders_world_field_of_vi/images/2007/07/18/loon_2.jpg

(A torpedo with feet!) :eek:

Yup,I'm another one that heads out on the water on my PWC and aims at loons...and kids...and....give me a break with generalizations.Why wouldn't the post read "just another reason to dislike the kayak folks" for their scaring the loons into boat traffic lanes?
While kayaks pass by the Loons too closely, the Loons seem to have accepted people in kayaks. (Not a good thing to me). :(

This particular "Loon protection area" has no place to exceed headway speed: every part is within 150' feet of some shoreline, docks, signs, rafts, rocks, docked boats or boats at anchor. There isn't any "boat travel lane" for a lo-o-o-ng distance from the Loon-protection area.

"...It appeared on July 15th which is late, as they usually appear around July 4th...but the kayakers get close to them and "drive" them which scares them out of a safe place into the middle of boat travel...And speed boats don't often watch for them either. Someone on a jet ski tried to hit the baby the other day but fortunately missed..."
The Lake started to get very windy later in the morning yesterday, so I cruised by that peaceful area about Noon.

You can't possibly miss seeing those Loons and their one chick. (And it IS late for a chick of that age).

Every so often, the parents' warning call echoes throughout the area. It's startling—and LOUD! :eek:

While there, a yellow Jet-Ski pulled a "hole-shot" very close to the chick—and my boat :eek2:—and failed to observe the 150' rule from shore and two anchored boats with swimmers.

(One anchored boat had their Lab circling their boat).

Winnmiir Apartments needs to put up a sign at their docks to warn their residents about Loon protection efforts in the area—and to observe the Lake's rules. As it is, there are too few peaceful areas for Loon nests and where they can bring up their young.

[nj2nh]

I sort of lost my love for loons when I heard (on this forum) about a loon that went chasing after baby ducks a couple of years ago. Some of the little ones didn't make it.

I wouldn't never go after one, of course, but I have a preference for ducks. Besides, I SEE ducks all the time. I see loons only once in a great while. We must stay on the wrong part of the lake.

nj2nh