With a record early ice-out this year on many lakes in New Hampshire, people started asking if the loons were going to nest earlier than usual.  I didn't think it was going to happen, but it looks like I may be wrong!  So far we have gotten reports of 3 loon pairs on nests: one in the Monadnock region, one in the Sunapee region, and one in the Lakes Region.  Two have been confirmed with photos (see below) and both nests were first observed exactly a week earlier than last year.

This loon stands to turn the egg(s) in its nest on Bolster Pond.  This is one of the first nesting reports of the 2016 season.  Photo: Brian Reilly.

Another early nest was established on Pleasant Lake on May 9.  The adults will take turns incubating the eggs for approximately 28 days.  Photo: Kittie Wilson

At this time of year, loons will often get on & off of their nest site before the eggs are laid so it can be tricky to determine if they are in fact nesting.  They need to make sure everything is just right before settling in!  A good way to know for sure is if they are sitting consistently on the nest for several days.  Another good sign that they may be nesting is if you are suddenly only seeing one loon swimming around the lake or territory by itself.

In other exciting news, the LIVE loon webcam is up and running for the 2016 season!  The pair has been on and off the nest site for the past few days so perhaps they will start nesting soon. Check out this time-lapse video taken this morning.  For all the early birds, the loons seem to be most active on the loon cam between 5-7 am. How cool is it to watch everything unfold from the comfort of your home?!  Since both adults are banded, we have confirmed that it is the same pair from previous years.  You may recall that the female was rescued in 2014 after being tangled in fishing line.  Thanks to our viewers, we were alerted to the situation and were able to respond quickly.  Last year one chick hatched from the nest and successfully left the lake in the fall.  I personally can't wait to watch them this year!  Try it out and let us know of any problems.

The webcam is mounted to a post in the water this year.

A special thanks to the 10 hard-working volunteers who came to our raft and sign building workshop on Earth Day!  They built 10 new signs, 4 new rafts, and updated 3 existing rafts.  Wow- that's an impressive total for a few short hours!

We are eagerly looking forward to a wonderful day for loons next month!  Senate Bill 89 (SB 89) was originally signed by Governor Hassan in 2013, but there was a three year phase-in period to allow retailers and anglers to switch to non-lead tackle.  Effective June 1, 2016, the sale and freshwater use of lead fishing sinkers and lead jigs weighing one ounce or less will be banned in New Hampshire.  Please check out the Fish Lead Free website for more information.  It's going to be a great day for loons and other wildlife in New Hampshire!

We're gearing up for the field season which officially gets underway on May 23. As always, we welcome your sightings and reports anytime.  We have a lot of events on the calendar throughout the summer so make sure to check our website often!

All the best,



Susie Burbidge
Outreach/Volunteer Coordinator