5349-R2_ML&P_LSLA_2016_Web_WinterNewsletter_Web

Little Sebago Loonacy (Cont.)

toward Grape Island. At one observation a third adult was seen close by as well. Given what happened later I believe that this third loon may have been the same one that invaded the Hill Island nesting territory, killing the chick. The Policeman Cove chick hatched on July 7. One parent was observed with leg bands that confirm it as a returning loon banded in 2005.

parents leg band as a match to the banded male in 2014. The other parent is without bands, thus a new mate. This juvenile, now 14 weeks old, is surmised to be male as he is larger than one parent. In addition to the six successful mating pairs, there were two additional mating pairs that were not successful this year. In the Upper lake the pair remained together throughout the summer. I observed one mating ritual but no nesting resulted. In the lower lake one pair made two unsuccessful attempts and did lay eggs that were immediately lost due to the nesting site chosen. With advice from biologist on best practices, we have placed nesting rafts in both upper and lower lakes to provide a more suitable, and hopefully successful, habitat possibility. The rafts were left in place through the end of summer and will be placed back in the spring. “Loon Nesting Sanctuary” signs are also placed adjacent to most of our known sites to encourage humans to maintain a respectful distance. In total eight chickswerehatched, two lost topredation by non-parent adult loons and one lost immediately after birth (cause unknown). Little Sebago has five surviving chicks. Four of our eight nesting couples have at least one of the pair confirmed to be a returning resident. While we were saddened by our losses, we were equally heartened that those losses were caused by nature – not by man. The efforts taken to educate and inform our Little Sebago Lake members about loon phenology and preservation have contributed to a loon friendly environment. Little Sebago Lake Association’s continued efforts to maintain water quality has contributed to a healthy reproductive habitat. Water level fluctuations were kept to a minimum despite several extreme storms during the prime nesting season thanks to the efforts of LSLA Damn management. Thank you all for your interest in our loons and your efforts at preserving our lake environment. Sharon Young

On July 28 vacationers observed the demise of the chick. Again, the predator was a territorial adult loon. The chick was exactly three weeks old, weighed 2.5 pounds and was 15 inches in length. This chick too was preserved and provided to biologists for research. One week after the chick was killed I observed an early morning fight between two adult loons near this territory and surmise that the invader male that killed the chick may have been attempting to overtake the resident male for territory and female as well. The last nest of the season was settled on June 19 on Sand Island. These parents were somewhat less attentive than others. Often both parents would be seen taking an evening swim together and leaving the nest unattended. I later learned that the parents sit the nest as much to protect the eggs from overheating as to keep it warm, thus brief absences are not usually harmful to the egg, provided predators remain at bay. One egg was hatched on July 16. Coincidently, the official Audubon Loon Count occurred the preceding day so Little Sebago will have one undocumented chick. Once the chick was hatched the parents did become attentive. One parent always with the chick and the other usually within sight. I observed one

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