NF - Loons Back On Nest Again - Pics and Video (Rideau River)

[JustinHoffman]

Hello All,

Delighted to discover that the loon parents from last year have once again returned to the same nesting site - and are sitting on two eggs. Last year was so much fun capturing them with film and video. They successfully hatched one chick that time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(watch in 1080p HD for best quality)

 

 

Chicks should hatch in 2 to 3 weeks!!

 

Cheers,

 

Justin

[limeyangler]

Fantastic Justin!

[JustinHoffman]

Thanks, limeyangler! Can't wait to see what the next few weeks hold!

 

Cheers,

Justin

[NewHips]

Thanks for sharing

[lakerguy]

Great pics!

Where do loons go for winter?

[akaShag]

back to lakerguy..........

 

Most loons I know go to Fort Lauderdale for the winter. Some go to Arizona and other to Texas, but most of the REAL loons go to Fort Lauderdale.......

 

Nice work, Justin!

Doug

[JustinHoffman]

Here is some migration info, lakerguy:

 

Migration

 

Medium-distance migrant. Common Loons migrate from northern lakes to coastal ocean waters. Loons in western Canada and Alaska migrate to the Pacific Coast, from Alaska’s Aleutian Islands down past Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. Loons from the Great Lakes region migrate to the Gulf of Mexico or Florida coasts. Loons from eastern Canada migrate to the Atlantic Coast.

 

Like many young birds, juvenile loons are really on their own after mom and dad leave at about 12 weeks. The parents head off on migration in the fall, leaving juveniles to gather into flocks on northern lakes and make their own journey south a few weeks later. Once the juveniles reach coastal waters on the ocean, they stay there for the next two years. In the third year, young loons return north, although they may not breed for several more years (on average they are six years old when they start breeding.)

 

Cheers,

Justin

[Joey]

Awesome, can't wait for your baby shots, soon to come

[fishindevil]

cool justin !!! i see lots on my lake too as well as in haliburton...i hear them almost every night just before sunset !!! can never get enough of them thanks for sharing cant wait to see the little one,or 2 chicks.....

[lakerguy]

Here is some migration info, lakerguy:MigrationMedium-distance migrant. Common Loons migrate from northern lakes to coastal ocean waters. Loons in western Canada and Alaska migrate to the Pacific Coast, from Alaska’s Aleutian Islands down past Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. Loons from the Great Lakes region migrate to the Gulf of Mexico or Florida coasts. Loons from eastern Canada migrate to the Atlantic Coast.Like many young birds, juvenile loons are really on their own after mom and dad leave at about 12 weeks. The parents head off on migration in the fall, leaving juveniles to gather into flocks on northern lakes and make their own journey south a few weeks later. Once the juveniles reach coastal waters on the ocean, they stay there for the next two years. In the third year, young loons return north, although they may not breed for several more years (on average they are six years old when they start breeding.)Cheers,Justin

Thanks! Never new that...