Loons in Alton Bay?

nj2nh · 07-29-2012, 02:57 PM

This morning, my husband and I were awakened by what could only have been two loons calling back and forth to each other. We are on Echo Point, facing the Broads and Little Mark Island.

In all my (many) years of coming here, I had never heard a loon and had only seen them sporadically, here and there, but never really close to Echo Point. We saw one first thing when we arrived yesterday, just a few feet from our dock.

Is it possible that there could be a loon next nearby or was the sighting and the calling this morning just coincidence?

nj2nh

SteveA · 07-29-2012, 05:32 PM

It is very likely that you have loons close by. I see and hear them often, early early in the morning at Lake Shore Park right around sunrise. The usual scenario is one Loon will call, the mate will call back. They will keep it up until they find each other.

What you most likely heard was a "locating" call that the loon experts call a "Wail". Loon sleep in the water and drift apart at night. The calls early in the morning are loons trying to find each other.

Here is an excellent site that plays the various Loon sounds and explains the meaning of the calls.

http://blog.syracuse.com/indepth/200...of_the_co.html

ghfromaltonbay · 07-30-2012, 02:49 PM

There has been a solitary, very large loon hanging around near Sandy Point all summer. Even with all the people in the area, I still hear him/her calling usually between 7 - 8 a.m. most mornings.

Jaxx · 07-30-2012, 07:49 PM

We spotted one fishing in Minge (sp?) Cove the other day.

Greene's Basin Girl · 07-30-2012, 11:35 PM

I see loons all over the lake. We have two chicks in our area.

tis · 07-31-2012, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Green's Basin Girl

I see loons all over the lake. We have two chicks in our area.

Please keep us posted on how those two are doing. We had two one year and after about 6 weeks one of them died. They say the strongest survive and I guess it is rare for two to survive. Keep our fingers crossed for these two!

Jonas Pilot · 07-31-2012, 01:56 PM

We saw 3 or 4 today and heard a couple more. We had one pop up just a few feet from the bow. It stayed for a minute before it took off under water to pop up about 150 yards away.

nj2nh · 08-02-2012, 10:55 PM

We heard them again on Tuesday morning and saw them right in front of our house yesterday afternoon. Took lots of photos, but they were a little far away. We heard one again tonight, but I wasn't sure if the second one responded. Sometimes, it is hard to tell them apart. We saw three dark shapes in the water, but it was too dark to tell I'd they we're loons or ducks. I think they were ducks.

Unfortunately, we are leaving on Sunday so we won't know how they fared for the rest of the summer. Since they seem to hang out right in front of our house, I feel like they are ours!

upthesaukee · 08-03-2012, 06:20 AM

We moved to Alton Bay in 1996 and have enjoyed seeing a loon(s) every summer, anywhere from deep in the bay around the bandstand and as far out as Echo Pt and everywhere in between. Gotta love NH and the Lake

!

07-29-2012, 02:57 PM	#1
nj2nh Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 524 Thanks: 63 Thanked 44 Times in 24 Posts	Loons in Alton Bay? This morning, my husband and I were awakened by what could only have been two loons calling back and forth to each other. We are on Echo Point, facing the Broads and Little Mark Island. In all my (many) years of coming here, I had never heard a loon and had only seen them sporadically, here and there, but never really close to Echo Point. We saw one first thing when we arrived yesterday, just a few feet from our dock. Is it possible that there could be a loon next nearby or was the sighting and the calling this morning just coincidence? nj2nh __________________

07-29-2012, 05:32 PM	#2
SteveA Deceased Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Gilford, NH Posts: 2,311 Thanks: 1,070 Thanked 2,054 Times in 497 Posts	It is very likely that you have loons close by. I see and hear them often, early early in the morning at Lake Shore Park right around sunrise. The usual scenario is one Loon will call, the mate will call back. They will keep it up until they find each other. What you most likely heard was a "locating" call that the loon experts call a "Wail". Loon sleep in the water and drift apart at night. The calls early in the morning are loons trying to find each other. Here is an excellent site that plays the various Loon sounds and explains the meaning of the calls. http://blog.syracuse.com/indepth/200...of_the_co.html __________________ "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

07-30-2012, 02:49 PM	#3
ghfromaltonbay Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Clifton, NJ, Alton Bay Posts: 823 Thanks: 253 Thanked 224 Times in 130 Posts	Sandy Point Loon There has been a solitary, very large loon hanging around near Sandy Point all summer. Even with all the people in the area, I still hear him/her calling usually between 7 - 8 a.m. most mornings.

08-02-2012, 10:55 PM	#8
nj2nh Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 524 Thanks: 63 Thanked 44 Times in 24 Posts	We heard them again on Tuesday morning and saw them right in front of our house yesterday afternoon. Took lots of photos, but they were a little far away. We heard one again tonight, but I wasn't sure if the second one responded. Sometimes, it is hard to tell them apart. We saw three dark shapes in the water, but it was too dark to tell I'd they we're loons or ducks. I think they were ducks. Unfortunately, we are leaving on Sunday so we won't know how they fared for the rest of the summer. Since they seem to hang out right in front of our house, I feel like they are ours! __________________

08-03-2012, 06:20 AM	#9
upthesaukee Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 5,593 Blog Entries: 2 Thanks: 2,444 Thanked 1,977 Times in 1,078 Posts	Since 1996.. We moved to Alton Bay in 1996 and have enjoyed seeing a loon(s) every summer, anywhere from deep in the bay around the bandstand and as far out as Echo Pt and everywhere in between. Gotta love NH and the Lake! __________________ I Live Here... I am always UPTHESAUKEE !!!!

The Following User Says Thank You to SteveA For This Useful Post:
Silver Duck (07-30-2012)

07-30-2012, 07:49 PM	#4
Jaxx Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 8 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	We spotted one fishing in Minge (sp?) Cove the other day.

07-30-2012, 11:35 PM	#5
Greene's Basin Girl Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Moultonborough, NH Posts: 1,515 Thanks: 394 Thanked 527 Times in 269 Posts	I see loons all over the lake. We have two chicks in our area.

07-31-2012, 01:56 PM	#7
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	We saw 3 or 4 today and heard a couple more. We had one pop up just a few feet from the bow. It stayed for a minute before it took off under water to pop up about 150 yards away.