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Upcoming Events
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May 17
Sunapee Loon Cruise
June 25; 6 pm
Summer Luncheon & Benefit Auction
June 29; 11 am-2 pm
Yakking for Loons
July 11; 8 am
Loon Census
July 19; 8-9 am
Loon Festival
July 19; 10 am-2 pm
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| Did You Know? |
 Starting on May 19, The Loon Center will be open 6 days/week! |
| Contact Us | |
P.O. Box 604
Lee's Mill Road
Moultonborough, NH 03254
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They're back!!! Loons have been observed on lakes in every monitoring region around the state. Ice-out was officially declared on Lake Winnipesaukee on April 23 at 2:10 pm. This was the 9th time ice-out was declared on that date since 1887.
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Loon photos courtesy of Kittie Wilson
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 It won't be long before they start nesting, so please make sure to give them plenty of space. The pair on Pleasant Lake in New London was checking out their raft yesterday! You may recall that they were the first loons to nest in the state last year.
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Male Common Merganser photo courtesy of John Rockwood
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Common Mergansers have also been spotted on the lakes so if you see a flash of black & white, don't assume it's a loon. These diving ducks have bright red bills and are often seen in groups with multiple males and females.
We're gearing up for our field season which officially gets underway on May 19. Our spring work day was a big success thanks to Libby Corbin, Lynne Hart, Norm Lesser, and Harold Quinton for their hard work cleaning and building!
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Norm Lesser and Harold Quinton help Senior Biologist John Cooley build a new loon raft, targeted to boost nesting success where natural nests have been flooded or predated. Photo courtesy of Libby Corbin.
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On April 22, LPC volunteers John & Kittie Wilson received an EPA Environmental Merit Lifetime Achievement Award for their work to protect loons and lakes in New Hampshire. A few LPC staff members went down to Boston for the awards ceremony on Earth Day. Click here to read an article that appeared in the Union Leader last month. Congratulations to Kittie & John!
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Pictured are Kittie & John Wilson (center) with EPA Administrators in historic Faneuil Hall, Boston. Photo courtesy of USEPA New England
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If you are in the Concord, NH area in May or June, make sure to stop by NH Audubon's McLane Center to see LPC volunteer & Trustee Brian Reilly's photo exhibit. Brian generously donated a framed loon photo for the May membership drive drawing (See below). He is very talented!
Lastly, the line-up for our 2014 Summer Nature Talk Series is complete. Click here for the full schedule.
We are looking forward to a wonderful summer season!
All the best,
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A Member a Day in May: Membership Drive Update
As of May 7, thirteen people have become new members of LPC! We're almost halfway there, but we still need your help.
I forgot to include a copy in the last newsletter of the beautiful photo that Brian Reilly is donating for the drawing at the end of the month. Take a chance to win the photo below and help support loon conservation at the same time. Or give the gift of membership to that special Mom in your life! Mother's Day is just around the corner.
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"Let's Get the Lead Out, NH!"
In case you are not aware, LPC and NH Lakes Association (NH LAKES) started a campaign last summer called "Let's Get the Lead Out, NH!" Through this new initiative, lake associations, individuals and retailers can make a pledge to take action in one or more of the following ways:
- Display a sign and/or post information at your lake access point
- Host a lead collection and/or exchange day
- Host an information booth at your lake access site
- Encourage local retailers to sell lead-free tackle
- Train your local Lake Hosts to participate in the campaign
We would like to encourage people to participate. It's very easy to get started. Simply click here to learn more about the program and to sign up. Once you make a pledge to take action you will receive a "tool kit" and packet of information from NH LAKES. LPC will also be offering special training sessions at the end of the Lake Host trainings on June 12 & June 21, to educate Point Persons and Lake Hosts on the effects of lead poisoning on loons in NH. We strongly encourage your lake association to have your lake hosts and point person educated about this issue.
LPC staff members are also available to give a presentation to your lake association membership or group on the natural history of loons, threats facing loons and ways we can help protect the loon population in NH. Please contact Susie at [email protected] for more information or to schedule a talk.
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The Loon Preservation Committee is dedicated to restoring and maintaining a healthy population of loons throughout New Hampshire; monitoring the health and productivity of loon populations as sentinels of environmental quality; and promoting a greater understanding of loons and the natural world.
Sincerely,
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Susie Burbidge
Outreach/Volunteer Coordinator
Loon Preservation Committee |
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