• Posts tagged with loon

    Heavy Lifting for the Loons

    Heavy Lifting for the Loons

    The first loon update is here and with it come tales of great strength. From flipping rafts to hauling signs, the loon conservation team has been hard at work preparing for this year’s nesting pairs.

    A loon rests comfortably on top of a life preserver in a plastic box with air holes, ready for transport to open water.

    Loon Rescue in January on Maidstone Lake

    On January 28, Eric Hanson received an email about a loon in distress on snow- and ice-covered Maidstone Lake in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. Read on for details about this loon rescue, written by VCE volunteers.

    A New Endeavor for the Vermont Loon Conservation Project: Necropsies

    A New Endeavor for the Vermont Loon Conservation Project: Necropsies

    In the past, the Vermont Loon Conservation Project collected all reported dead loons to send to Tufts University to determine the causes of death. Now, we’re going to learn how to perform necropsies ourselves!

    Loon Departure Times

    Loon Departure Times

    Those lucky enough to still be spending time on their favorite Vermont lakes may have noticed the disappearance of their resident adult loons, even with chicks still around. When do loons take to the skies? Read on to find out.

    Mentoring an Eagle Scout for the Loon Project

    Mentoring an Eagle Scout for the Loon Project

    This past year, Caleb Nye of Hinesburg conducted numerous activities to assist the Vermont Loon Conservation Project, and the loons on Lake Iroquois, in pursuit of becoming an Eagle Scout.

    Mid-July Loon Update

    Mid-July Loon Update

    It’s mid-July, height of “loon season,” and just a few days away from Vermont’s 38th annual LoonWatch Day on Saturday, July 18. VCE’s loon biologist, Eric Hanson, gives us an update from Vermont’s lakes and ponds (with photos you won’t want to miss).

    An adult loon and large chick cruise Maidstone Lake in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. / © Becky Scott

    Loon Season Update: Late Nests and a Successful Rescue

    VCE’s Eric Hanson provides this late-summer update from the water, including a couple of short rescued loon release video clips!

    Injured loon on Colby Pond / © Susan Hindinger

    The Colby Loon

    Rose West, VCE’s 2019 Alexander Dickey Conservation Intern, provides a personal account of monitoring a distressed loon for the Vermont Loon Conservation Project.

    Field Update:  New nests, flooded nests, and healthy competition

    Field Update: New nests, flooded nests, and healthy competition

    It’s July, and loon nesting season is in full swing! Here’s an update from the lakes and ponds from VCE’s loon biologist, Eric Hanson.

    Field Update: Loon Wins and Losses

    Field Update: Loon Wins and Losses

    Every year, some of our returning loons get themselves into “hot water,” so to speak. Eric Hanson, VCE’s loon biologist, gives us his mid-season good news/bad news update here.