It looks like the overall tough year for loons on Conway Lake has at least one survivor thus far. I received an email from Dick yesterday indicating that the one loon chick is growing and appears to be doing well. That at least is good news.
Loon eggs and chick face many dangers as they grow. During rainy years, nests can be flooded causing eggs to be lost. Meanwhile various predators roaming the shoreline love the easy nutrition of a loon egg. Those chicks that hatch and move onto the water now face the challenges of other predators as well as other causes of mortality. As with most bird species, as loons grow older and bigger, their chances of survival increase. With so few young from Conway Lake the past few years it is important to remember to give these birds wide space. It will be most important to remember this next spring when the birds begin nesting again.
Hopefully we can continue to get positive reports from Dick this year!