Loons are back

ITD · 03-19-2012, 09:27 PM

I saw my first loons of the season this morning. 2 pairs swimming in the open water near my dock. Not sure if they were frolicking or battling for territory. Didn't have my telephoto lens, they flew away when they saw me trying to get a closer picture. They still had a large portion of their winter plumage.

tis · 03-20-2012, 07:46 AM

Yea, that is exciting news! The loons know!

SteveA · 03-21-2012, 08:35 AM

I was up early and down at Lake Shore Park to take some sunrise pics. While I was setting up.. 3 loons just came cruising by. I was all set up with a long lens and didn't have time to change out the lens. Got a few pictures but mostly very blurry.

Looks like 2 females and a male.. As ITD commented, they still have their winter coloring.

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Quilt Lady · 03-21-2012, 10:47 AM

Looking at Steve A's pictures, the birds are not loons but mergansers. The top image shows the male merganser's typical plumage (easily mistaken for a loon but it has no "necklace" and the lower portion of the body has too much white). In the second picture, the bird on the left has the pointy feathers on the back of the head, typical of the female merganser. The middle bird is the male (note the large amount of white at the waterline).

I think it is still early for loons. We have a regular that shows up year after year. He returns around the time of a normal "ice-out" with his lady returning a week or two later. The male is checking out his territory before the lady returns for the breeding season. The males don't hang out in groups in the spring like they do in the fall. They are quite solitary at this time of year.

I'm no expert so I could be wrong. I'm still looking for "our" regular loon.

Jonas Pilot · 03-21-2012, 10:57 AM

... have been a common merganser?

http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/416...Merganser.aspx

Jonas Pilot · 03-21-2012, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quilt Lady

Looking at Steve A's pictures, the birds are not loons but mergansers. The top image shows the male merganser's typical plumage (easily mistaken for a loon but it has no "necklace" and the lower portion of the body has too much white). In the second picture, the bird on the left has the pointy feathers on the back of the head, typical of the female merganser. The middle bird is the male (note the large amount of white at the waterline).

I think it is still early for loons. We have a regular that shows up year after year. He returns around the time of a normal "ice-out" with his lady returning a week or two later. The male is checking out his territory before the lady returns for the breeding season. The males don't hang out in groups in the spring like they do in the fall. They are quite solitary at this time of year.

I'm no expert so I could be wrong. I'm still looking for "our" regular loon.

You beat me to the punch by 10 minutes you rascal you QL.

ITD · 03-21-2012, 11:56 AM

Actually, I was just checking out the pictures I took, didn't have my telephoto lens so the quality isn't very good, but they may have been Mergansers, I did think their bodies looked small for loons, they were diving. Oh well, maybe still a few weeks away....

SteveA · 03-21-2012, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quilt Lady

I'm no expert so I could be wrong. I'm still looking for "our" regular loon.

I guess I may be the "regular loon" today ...

Thanks all for the correction, and the education. That's what I get for getting out of bed too early everyday.

I think it's nap time...

Glad I spent my out of focus picture on the Merganser.

Quilt Lady · 03-28-2012, 10:10 AM

I looked out over the lake this morning and saw my first loon of the season. He was about 150 feet from shore and just drifting around. So now spring is really here.

Greene's Basin Girl · 03-29-2012, 01:44 AM

Our loon pair is back in Green's Basin!!!!!

RandallDunn · 04-05-2012, 09:41 PM

My wife and I will be up to the Lake 6-13 May to open up the cabin. Can't wait to see some of the new Loon "puff balls." How Exciting!

shoppes on the bay · 04-22-2012, 11:11 AM

i saw one as i was leaving the port last week-end while i was working on a fish trap boat - he had red eyes and his summer plumage so i would say he was ready to head north at any time. they are here all winter along the south coast of ri then they go theough a molt, their summer plummage appears and bam - they are gone until next winter. of course i am lucky because when i come up i get to see them again lol

03-19-2012, 09:27 PM	#1
ITD Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonboro, NH Posts: 2,941 Thanks: 481 Thanked 695 Times in 390 Posts	Loons are back I saw my first loons of the season this morning. 2 pairs swimming in the open water near my dock. Not sure if they were frolicking or battling for territory. Didn't have my telephoto lens, they flew away when they saw me trying to get a closer picture. They still had a large portion of their winter plumage.

03-21-2012, 08:35 AM	#3
SteveA Deceased Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Gilford, NH Posts: 2,311 Thanks: 1,070 Thanked 2,054 Times in 497 Posts	I just missed... I was up early and down at Lake Shore Park to take some sunrise pics. While I was setting up.. 3 loons just came cruising by. I was all set up with a long lens and didn't have time to change out the lens. Got a few pictures but mostly very blurry. Looks like 2 females and a male.. As ITD commented, they still have their winter coloring. __________________ "Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, if he gets angry he'll be a mile away and barefoot!" unknown

03-21-2012, 10:47 AM	#4
Quilt Lady Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: West Alton, NH Posts: 169 Thanks: 0 Thanked 25 Times in 11 Posts	I hate to rain on your parade but . . . Looking at Steve A's pictures, the birds are not loons but mergansers. The top image shows the male merganser's typical plumage (easily mistaken for a loon but it has no "necklace" and the lower portion of the body has too much white). In the second picture, the bird on the left has the pointy feathers on the back of the head, typical of the female merganser. The middle bird is the male (note the large amount of white at the waterline). I think it is still early for loons. We have a regular that shows up year after year. He returns around the time of a normal "ice-out" with his lady returning a week or two later. The male is checking out his territory before the lady returns for the breeding season. The males don't hang out in groups in the spring like they do in the fall. They are quite solitary at this time of year. I'm no expert so I could be wrong. I'm still looking for "our" regular loon. __________________ QL (Doing my best to encourage Global Warming ... one quilt at a time!)

03-21-2012, 10:57 AM	#5
Jonas Pilot Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Wolfeboro, New Hampshire is my home, 24-7-365 Posts: 1,686 Thanks: 1,047 Thanked 336 Times in 189 Posts	Could it ... ? ... have been a common merganser? http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/416...Merganser.aspx

03-28-2012, 10:10 AM	#9
Quilt Lady Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: West Alton, NH Posts: 169 Thanks: 0 Thanked 25 Times in 11 Posts	"Our" regular loon is back!!! I looked out over the lake this morning and saw my first loon of the season. He was about 150 feet from shore and just drifting around. So now spring is really here. __________________ QL (Doing my best to encourage Global Warming ... one quilt at a time!)

The Following User Says Thank You to ITD For This Useful Post:
Dog's Ear (03-21-2012)

03-20-2012, 07:46 AM	#2
tis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,829 Thanks: 764 Thanked 1,474 Times in 1,029 Posts	Yea, that is exciting news! The loons know!

The Following User Says Thank You to SteveA For This Useful Post:
NickNH (03-21-2012)

03-21-2012, 11:56 AM	#7
ITD Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonboro, NH Posts: 2,941 Thanks: 481 Thanked 695 Times in 390 Posts	Actually, I was just checking out the pictures I took, didn't have my telephoto lens so the quality isn't very good, but they may have been Mergansers, I did think their bodies looked small for loons, they were diving. Oh well, maybe still a few weeks away....

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to SteveA For This Useful Post:
Jonas Pilot (03-21-2012), NickNH (03-21-2012)

03-29-2012, 01:44 AM	#10
Greene's Basin Girl Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Moultonborough, NH Posts: 1,515 Thanks: 394 Thanked 527 Times in 269 Posts	Our loon pair is back in Green's Basin!!!!!

The Following User Says Thank You to Greene's Basin Girl For This Useful Post:
NickNH (03-29-2012)

04-05-2012, 09:41 PM	#11
RandallDunn Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Northern VA, New England Posts: 9 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Loonies! My wife and I will be up to the Lake 6-13 May to open up the cabin. Can't wait to see some of the new Loon "puff balls." How Exciting!

04-22-2012, 11:11 AM	#12
shoppes on the bay Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: alton bay Posts: 49 Thanks: 4 Thanked 6 Times in 3 Posts	loons i saw one as i was leaving the port last week-end while i was working on a fish trap boat - he had red eyes and his summer plumage so i would say he was ready to head north at any time. they are here all winter along the south coast of ri then they go theough a molt, their summer plummage appears and bam - they are gone until next winter. of course i am lucky because when i come up i get to see them again lol

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