Ice Out at “Loon Pond”
The put-in at Loon Pond.
A friend informed me that the ice was coming off Loon Pond, and it was half ice-free. I waited another two cold, damp days before heading out, hoping for an open pond. As I drove along the road, the snowbanks on the south side kept getting higher and fresh snow covered the tree branches and roadsides. The road had been plowed, but there was still some slush on this April 11th afternoon. The temperature dropped from 40 to 37 to 35 degrees F. Great.
Despite the weather, I was very excited to see if the loons had returned. As soon as the ice goes out, the banded male loon is often back on the pond, but the old, banded female sometimes returns a week after ice out. However, last year the banded male had been ousted by a new, unbanded male, and even though the banded male skulked on the pond at times, he also was seen on a pond to the north. Would the banded male return to Loon Pond, or would the new territorial male from 2024 return? Would the old female make it back for another year of breeding?
Great blue heron prints on a log.
I parked my car in the snowbank just past the drive into the pond, not wanting to get stuck in the mud or snow of the drive. Carrying my canoe to the put-in, I was happy to see that the launch area was ice-free, and the pond appeared mostly open. Some ice still clung to the southwest shore of the pond, and I scanned for loons. None. A bit disappointed, I went back for my gear and when I returned, this time I spotted two loons at the far west end. With renewed excitement, I pushed off into the water, noting great blue heron tracks in the snow on a log near shore.
As I headed west, one of the loons dove. I paddled toward the loon that was still up, and as I watched his legs, looking for signs of bands, I saw a flash of white. The older banded male had a white band on each of his legs, but the old, banded female did not, so it had to be the male. He had returned to reclaim his territory of the past 6 or so years! I watched him for a bit and saw the white band on his other leg. I tried to find the other loon and found it a far distance away. The male loon swam toward the other loon, and I paddled toward it, but it dove again before either of us got very close.
Two loons spotted on Loon Pond!
I paddled down to the far west end of the pond to explore and to hope that the other loon would relax, and I could get close enough to see if it was banded. When I returned to the main part of the pond, I saw both loons swimming together at the east end, so I headed toward them. Once again, the unknown loon dove before I got anywhere near enough to look for bands, while the banded male stayed on the surface and allowed me to approach and watch him. By now I was guessing that the mystery loon might be a new unbanded female, since the two loons seemed to get along. I had not heard any vocalizations between them, though. Often a bonded pair hoots or coos to each other frequently. Perhaps this loon was a new arrival, and the two loons hadn’t had time to get to know each other.
The banded male returned to Loon Pond.
The banded male flapping his wings.
Will the old banded female return? I’m almost positive that the mystery loon is not her, since the banded female would have allowed me to approach closer and probably would have been staying close to her former mate. It is still a bit early, but if she does not return in a week, then I will worry that she either died or was displaced by this possible new female. I can’t wait to return in a few days and see who is taking possession of Loon Pond. And maybe the weather will be a little warmer then, too!
Words and images by E. George, ACLC Field Staff & Loon Naturalist