Loon Nest on Highland Lake Gets Special Treatment

"Interior decoration" may entice a mating pair this year.

April 24, 2013 • Saved under Outdoors
By Donna Baker-Hartwell, for the Beacon
Kittie Wilson (pictured) of Pleasant Lake helped Donna Baker-Hartwell prepare the floating loon nest for Highland Lake. This year, the focus was on making the nest more enticing in hopes that a breeding pair would use it. Photo: Donna Baker-Hartwell
Kittie Wilson (pictured) of Pleasant Lake helped Donna Baker-Hartwell prepare the floating loon nest for Highland Lake. This year, the focus was on making the nest more enticing in hopes that a breeding pair would use it. Photo: Donna Baker-Hartwell

April 21 was a beautiful Sunday afternoon to be on Highland Lake. “Our” loons have returned! The ice has been out a little over a week.

For the past three years the floating nest, made at the New Hampshire Loon Preservation Committee (NHLPC) Center, has been offered to the pair and turned down. Perhaps the interior decoration was not enticing enough. So I called on Kittie Wilson of Pleasant Lake for guidance. Kittie knows what a desirable nest site should look like and has been volunteering for NHLPC for years.

What an amazing lesson I got as to how to prepare the platform for occupancy! Kittie showed me the steps in building a cozy environment using natural materials and plants.

The final addition was a clump of Forget-Me-Nots that Kittie brought from her home. She explained, “These are for us and the loons to remember that we are in a partnership. We humans want to help them to be successful. Every chick matters.”

The floating nest has been anchored on the east side of the island. Now we will wait to see if we have finally got it to the loons’ satisfaction.

Thank you, Kittie for an amazing lesson and for all of your support.