May 2021 Newsletter
Included in this issue:
Loons - Voice of the Wilderness by Carol Adamthwaite
It's Black Fly Season by Doris Villemaire
Our Past Winter Weather - An Update by Stan Walker
Loons – Voice of the Wilderness
Loons are one of the oldest birds in North America – 60 million years old! Many of us anxiously wait to hear their unique calls echoing across the silent lake signalling their return each Spring. With their intricately patterned black and white plumage they are also one of the most beautiful birds on our lakes.
The Common Loon is the variety that nests here on our Northern Lakes. They are adapted well for diving and fishing in the lakes. Their legs are set far back on their bodies. They do not walk well on land, but are excellent swimmers and agile under water.
In the water, they are able to sink like a submarine by compressing their feathers, lungs and internal air. Their bones are not light and porous like other birds. Their dense bones allow them to sink quietly under the water or remain partially submerged, almost unseen.
Male loons usually return first, establishing their territory and scouting out the lake. They have strict requirements for a nesting site. Because their legs are set so far back on their heavy bodies they require a site very close and level with the edge of the lake so that they can slide on and off the nest into the water. The nest site also needs a deep water approach, privacy, and protection from wave action. Islands are preferred for protection from predators.
Loons, unlike ducks and geese who may raise 10-12 offspring a summer, raise only 1 or 2 chicks. The eggs incubate for 29 days and usually hatch within a day of each other.
One of the parents is on the nest 98% of the time during incubation. Loon chicks are hatched covered in down and can swim within a day. Once they leave the nest they do not return to it. It may be 3 or 4 years before they touch dry land again when they themselves return to a Northern lake to breed. Chicks are still vulnerable after leaving the nest and rely on their parents who must oil the chicks feathers until their own oil glands develop.
For up to 8 weeks the parents provide food until they can adequately feed themselves. They often ride on their parents backs for protection from predators and to stay dry and warm. At 2 weeks the young are half the size of their parents and are beginning to learn to dive. At 4-6 weeks they begin to grow the juvenile plumage which is similar to the winter plumage of their parents. By late October the young loons are beginning to fly and the parents leave first for the ocean. Loons are sometimes the last to leave before freeze up. The adolescent young will stay on the ocean for 3-4 years until they develop their familiar black and white breeding colours and return to our Northern Lakes to nest.
Loon populations are struggling.
Given their low birth rates, the dangers of spending 3 to 4 years on the ocean, predators, environmental issues, and human behaviours, it is easy to see why. Young chicks are prey to gulls, turtles, large fish, skunks and raccoons.
On the ocean, oil slicks, storms, and plastics are a threat. When they return to our Northern Lakes, fluctuating water levels, reduced habitat, climate change, toxicity in the lake, lead sinkers and lack of fish, all have a detrimental effect on loon populations.
Our May 24 and July 1 holiday weekends come at one of the most vulnerable times in the life of loons. In May they are beginning to lay their eggs and incubate them, and July 1 is often hatching time for the chicks. Fast moving jet skis, and power boats can wash out the nest or drown the chicks who cannot dive to get out of their path. View the parents, chicks and nest from a distance using binoculars rather than approaching too close and cause them to feel threatened. Give them space!
Understanding loon behaviour is important.
The familiar “tremolo” or “laughing” call is actually a distress call. If a loon gives this call, it means that you have approached too closely. Parents will try to lead you away from the chicks or their nest. They will abandon the nest if humans come too close or if they have been off the nest too long trying to divert humans from it A loon rearing out of the water (the penguin dance) is a panic response; leave the area immediately.
Make your lake "loon friendly".
Some things that may help encourage loons to continue to nest on your lake are:
Warning signs around nesting sites and loon habitat
Creating nest platforms
Encouraging other lake users to respect these icons of the North by giving them space especially while they are on the nest or caring for their chicks.
It's Black Fly Season
It’s that time of year again… Spring, yes... and with it comes those annoying, biting pesky bugs... Black flies!
They are the true north bug. They are especially abundant in our northern wooded areas and near any waterways like ponds, creeks, rivers and lake outlets. Black flies are often attracted to dark clothing, much like the shade or darker areas.
To ward these pests away, try wearing bright colours or white clothing when you head outside.
Unlike mosquitoes, black flies are mainly active during the day especially if it’s cloudy. These bugs are attracted to the increased levels of lactic acid odours from people who are exercising and doing manual labour outdoors. The smell of stress will play a key role in bug bites.
These nasty little critters tend to swarm around your head and skin before biting, and then sneak under your collar and clothing, biting any exposed skin, especially on the wrists, ankles, waistline, neck and hairline. Ouch! Their bites normally leave a small welt and a droplet of blood, and may itch for several days sometime causing an infection for those with allergies. Females have biting mouthparts, which they use to cut into the skin of birds and mammals to draw blood. The blood is then sucked up along a hollow channel.
Fortunately, the lifespan of Black Flies is short, lasting only 2-3 weeks. Hurrah!
The Black Flies breeding ground is clear running water. Their hiding places are under leaves, twigs, and branches, or even in tall grass or under rocks.
Believe it or not, black flies do serve a good purpose. The larva is a significant food source for trout and other fish. Birds like the phoebe and flycatchers and bats feed on these small insects. There is a belief that black flies mean more blueberries; but there is no actual proof of this.
Using a topical insect repellant will help somewhat to deter these little insects. And if you have to be outside when the black flies are here the best approach is to wear a bug jacket.
To lighten up the season, Robert Munch wrote a children’s’ book about black flies titled Blackflies. Then a very catchy tune was written by Wade Hemsworth called The Black fly song.
And the black flies, the little black flies
Always the black fly, no matter where you go
I'll die with the black fly a-picking my bones
In north on-tar-i-o-i-o, in north.
-Wade Hemsworth
Our Past Winter Weather - An Update From Big Clam Lake
Looking back at our past winter - it wasn't as bad as many I've experienced. "Ice on" date for Big Clam Lake was December 8, 2020 and the lake was open again by April 9. Average temperatures were:
January (21.8 F or -5.7 C )
February ( 15.5 F or -9.2 C)
March ( 29.4 F or -1.4 C )
April (43.1 F or 6.2 C)
Our coldest night was in February (-21.8 F or -29.9 C).
Total snowfall December through the end of March was 128 inches ( 325 cm) and the snowpack in the bush topped out at 39 inches (99.1 cm).
Largest snowfall occurred in late February - 14 in. (35.6 cm ).
I have an 18" square piece of plywood in the hardwood bush that I use to measure snowfall depth after each storm. The board is then swept clean ready for the next storm. Snowpack was measured in the same area but it is an accumulated depth of undisturbed snow which takes natural compaction into account.
I tried to pick a spot that wasn't sheltered and also wasn't subject to drifting. It should be noted that a light fluffy 10 inch snowfall could easily compact down to 3-4 inches after a few warm sunny days.
The snow back here on Big Clam Lake had mostly disappeared by the end of March this year.
It initially appeared that we might have an actual early spring but the cold weather remained throughout April. I set up the external weather station and rain gauges on April 11 and recorded 1.87 inches ( 47.4 mm) of rain for the balance of April.
While many birds arrived early, the serious business of starting to raise a new brood appears to have been delayed until early May. We saw our first hummer May 9th with the main crowd arriving a week later.
Thank you to everyone who helped with our litter cleanup at the beginning of May!
We all need to continue to do our part to keep this beautiful area litter free. Please pitch in! The picture below is this years collection of beer cans from Rain Lake & Echo Ridge. Not shown were 6 bags of garbage and lots of recyclables.
We don't have a total count as others had already picked portions of the road.
We hope to have articles on Naturalizing Your Shoreline and Living With Wildlife in our June newsletter.