Greetings!

You may recall in the last e-newsletter that I mentioned we collected a loon from South Pond that appeared to have died from lead poisoning.  We are still waiting for confirmation from Tufts, but the loon showed classic symptoms of lead poisoning, and a metal object also appeared in the radiograph.  We received a video taken by Karen Townsend of the loon before it was captured (**Warning- this video is not for the faint of heart).  I'm sorry to include such a sad video in this newsletter, but it's important for people to understand how lead affects loons and how much they suffer when they ingest this toxic metal.

You may also recall that field biologist Liz Jackson was studying nest predation on Lake Winnipesaukee through the use of game cameras.  While she is still analyzing her data from this summer we wanted to share a cool picture that was caught on camera (notice the loon behind the raft).  

If you just started receiving the e-newsletter and would like to catch up on the stories mentioned above, check out the archived newsletters on our website (http://www.loon.org/newsletter.php).  

 

There's still time to get your raffle tickets for a chance to win a beautiful quilt, loon decoy or a kayak.  The drawing will be held at our Holiday Open House on Saturday, November 24.  Click here for more information.

 

Loons are still being spotted on lakes across the state in different stages of fall molt.  The top photo below was taken on Kingston Lake in early October by Evy Nathan.  You can just make out the black and white speckling on the wings.  The adult in the bottom photo taken by Kittie Wilson is not as far along in its fall molt and can still be seen swimming around with its chick (now juvenile).

 

  

We are past the peak of the foliage season, but I'm sure you'll agree it was quite spectacular this year in New Hampshire. 

 

Happy fall,

 

 

  

 

 

 

Solving Loon Mysteries...with Crayfish! 
By Tiffany Grade

LPC is currently engaged in what may seem like an odd project for an organization working with loons-catching crayfish!  But that is exactly what we have been doing as part of the Squam Lake Loon Initiative. With the help of Prof. Kerry Yurewicz and recent Master of Science graduate Nicole Ramberg-Pihl, we have caught crayfish of two species from 9 loon territories on Squam Lake, as well as a sample from Lake Winnipesaukee.

So why is LPC catching crayfish?  As many of you know, Squam Lake's loon population has suffered poor reproductive success in recent years following a steep decline in its adult loon population.  LPC is conducting intensive research on the Squam ecosystem in an effort to understand the cause(s) of this decline and to restore a healthy population of loons to the lake.  Crayfish, as part of loons' diets and members of the lake ecosystem which feed on a varied diet in the sediments of lakes, may help answer some of the questions of what happened to Squam's loons.  We will test the crayfish for contaminants to investigate if there are areas of the lake that are "hotspots" for contaminants.  We will also test the crayfish to examine if there has been a change in what the loons have been feeding on in Squam, which may have contributed to an increase in contaminants in Squam loon eggs. 

Prof. Yurewicz and Nicole have been an extraordinary help to LPC in this effort.  They have generously contributed their knowledge, experience, and expertise on trap placement and techniques for catching crayfish, countless hours assisting in the field to set and check the traps, as well as supplying the traps and bait.  Prof. Yurewicz is an Associate Professor of Ecology and the chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at Plymouth State, who specializes in the study of species interactions and population dynamics of aquatic invertebrates.  Prof. Yurecwicz was the adviser for Nicole's recently-completed Master of Science thesis on the behavioral ecology of crayfish.  LPC is very grateful for their generous contributions to our Squam Lake Loon Initiative!

Photos courtesy of Kerry Yurewicz