You might have noticed that a loon has been lurking near the island lately. That’s because it has a mate sitting on a nest there. Every year a nesting pair of loons claim the island, and the lake, to raise their chicks. Unfortunately, their success rate has been quite low. The chicks have many predators above and beneath the surface of the lake. Even the adults fear the bald eagles and you can hear their warning cries while an eagle circles the sky over the lake. Given all the perils the loons and their chicks face, one thing we as lakeshore residents can do is to give them a wide berth when boating. While they are nesting, please stay away from the island. They will abandon their nest if harassed. And after the chicks have hatched, be careful not to run them over. They almost immediately leave the nest after hatching and can’t dive until they are several days old. The July 4th weekend is especially perilous for them with the heavier boat traffic. Please be very watchful for the young family! You can read more about loons at: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/birds/commonloon.html
