Friday, July 3, 2015 at 8:47 AM — Mother Loon is still patiently sitting on her two eggs. Day 34. Average gestation is 26-28 (Some reports say 30) So, this doesn’t look good for our loons.

Two years ago, our parent loons sat on an egg for 45 days! (It was their third egg after having lost the first two to dogs.) So, we know that they can sit long past time. What devoted nesters!

We wonder what might have happened. Tyler, our loon biologist, reported when he was on Tyler Lake a few weeks back, a third loon had arrived and caused both adults to be off the nest for over an hour. It was a chilly and rainy day. The eggs probably got too cold. They are supposed to be kept at about 94 degrees. This is probably the most logical reason for failure.

I will leave buoys up until she abandons the nest. We will continue to see the pair on the lake until it is time for them to leave in late fall.

Thank you all for your support and encouragement. We did our part in protecting them. Jason Dudek has been wonderful in helping with dam control. Boaters have been careful and aware of the nesting area.