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The Kitchen Table

7:15 am Loon on nest

16 years ago

I finally checked in and found one of the loons on the nest.

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Comments (13)

alisande
16 years ago
8:30 a.m. Loon off nest

:-)
mcmann
Original Author
16 years ago
Very cute Ms. Alisande - very cute indeed!!
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this does NOT look good!
Q
Comments (19)
the end of the story! 5:45 out the door with my coffee and blankie, it's cold and there's thunder in the distance. Guess what, nobody is up yet but the Hummers and Robins. The box is silent. A Dee is the first to the feeder, then those chirpy little House Finch babies LOL OMG they are SO loud. Pop finally showed up at 7:15 and out poped a baby face the minute he landed on the box. They got a light breakfast and then they were off to start the wing warm ups. Mom hussy showed up an hour later, checked the box, got herself something to eat, stuck her butt up then left. I could hear baby #1 peeping up in the trees and Dad took off with some worms. They both came back and decided to get down to business dangling food in fron of the box and calling. Baby #2 jumped out about 9:00 right up in the trees, baby #3 went at 9:45 and baby #4 within a few minutes, guess she didnt like being alone. They were all good little flyers and all went to nearly the same spot. Just minutes after baby #4 left Hussy Mom was back on the box doing her little shake my tail feathers dance, she's shameless!Dad came and waved at her. She and Pop both had a fit when I took the box down so I hurridly rinsed it out and put it back up. I will get it cleaned out better while they are busy this afternoon so I wount get cussed out. SO about 15 hours to get all 4 off to a good start, no HOSPs no Hawks, just a Blue Jay that Pop Blue and Mom Oriole ran off, the sun is out and no storms comming anytime soon. It will be very interesting to see if she stops feeding nest #2 on exactly the same day!
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Long time...
Q
Comments (4)
thank you....I struggle mostly right now with the loss of my son. The healing of surgery is sort of taking a back seat. Over the years as many here know, I've had a lot of trouble with injuries to back, cartilage and tendons and have discovered that I have a connective tissue disorder. I will be seeing a rheumatolgist in June so we can discover which kind it is....meantime, I lay in bed listening to the birds calling outside. I have four hummingbird feeders up and saw the early nesting Anna's bringing a baby to them, and later, the Selasphorus hummers visited as well. Looks like we have a few stay-over Selasphorus, which with the weird weather isn't too unusual, I guess :) The Violet-green Swallows returned on schedule and the Osprey, too...there have been a lot of California Brown Pelicans flying north; adults and first-year birds. An intermediately plumaged (winter to breeding) Common Loon has been frequenting the point and bay at Laguna Point up in MacKerricher; MarieMom and I were there on Monday (day before my knee surgery) and got to watch it diving and catching fish.....a rare treat for here :o)
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Black Toile Cottage Master Bedroom....Cameron
Q
Comments (52)
les - Brought the tuffet up this past weekend and I love it! It always surprises me that just one piece added to a room can pull a space together so much. It is shaped liked a cushion-cut diamond - square top that angles down on the sides. I have it set on the left side of the rocker, sort of under the loon print. It doesn't crowd anything and the square shaped top works with the boxy shape of the rocker, while the curved feet mirror the curves of the handles. The stained feet make it not too matchy-matchy. Since my nightstands, headboard & chest all match, I think it's better not going overboard with more black wood! The rocker was placed there because it gives a view right out to the mountain and brook, but I will move things around as you suggested, just to see. I also like the idea of a pillow with the big button. Maybe I'll leave the tuffet black, and just cover the big button with a coordinating fabric (?) And I'd still like to get another rug for the sitting area, though I'd probably move it out in the summertime. A friend who came for dinner on Sat., who had never seen the cottage but had looked up this post, brought me a Wall Words saying as a hostess gift. She made it clear it was up to me whether I wanted to use it or not. The script is black and it reads,"Prayers Go Up, Blessings Come Down" which she thought would look good on the wall behind the bed. She said she thought the phrase worked especially nicely because the wall is angled "Up" and that coming upon this property was a real blessing. Thoughts? oceanna - I can just feel how badly you want to dress that room! I now it probably looks sparse, but if you stood in it I think you would feel differently. My aim is to have it be an uncluttered space where my eyes are drawn to the outside views and sounds. I want to appreciate the way the sun glows off the wood floors and highlights the knots and texture of it. If this were in my home here, in a city neighborhood, I would be with you(and Cher!)100%, though! And I appreciate the tips on covering an ottoman. You inspire me to give it a try doing it on my own!
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I think the loons had a quickie this morning.
Q
Comments (28)
The 15 second latchup is typical for birds of that size. Ever watch farm chickens? It ain't any better for the hens - the same as you described. I think that after 10 seconds of the male on her back, she is ready to get him off. Mating among farm cats is not all honey smooth, either. Many times, this takes place in darkness, but the wise farmboy knows what has happened when he hears a particular screech made by the cat. After mating, as the tom withdraws, barbs on his tool scrapes and irritate the female. She instantly let out a scream of pain, her claws unsheath and a few pieces of fur and shin is raked off the offender. This all happens in a faction of second. It is a cruel trick of nature. This injury/stimulation is required for fertilization to go to completion. Without it, she may not impregnate.
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alisande
16 years ago
LOL But I did see a couple of zebras on National Geographic's African webcam.
ronm80
16 years ago
10:53 Loon on the couch.

I really would like to see pictures of real loons and ducklings.
hayjud_mn
16 years ago
I really want to see her actually lay an egg! will she be peaceful and quiet, or will I notice it from my kitchen?

Did you notice how all that work she has been doing is mounding the dirt up. She pushes it from the bottom inside. I suppose when she gets it just right, she will start laying.

My first thought was, how is she going to put enough twigs and grass together together for her nest - BUT - hey, she is not a bird - she is a loon!
mcmann
Original Author
16 years ago
Another clever poster here - I love your 'resting' loon. Is he watching 'Looney Toons' on the TV? Oh I am so sorry, I just couldn't resist.

In Philly a pair of red tail hawks built their nest on a window ledge at the Franklin Institute of Science. Talk about 'location, location, location' - it's the perfect spot for a web cam. They have 3 darling fluffy white chicks. They had a nest there last year and one of the chicks fell out. A passing motorist saw it and stopped traffic to rescue it. It was returned to the nest and successfully fledged a little later.

Here is a link that might be useful: hawk nest
hayjud_mn
16 years ago
I feel so stupid!
I was watching for a WHITE egg to show up in the nest!(influenced by the supermarket, I guess!)

I finally looked up what color loon eggs are. The are greenish-brown with black specks. They blend into the nest!

For all we know there might already be eggs in that nest!
mcmann
Original Author
16 years ago
Well that made be curious about the size so I looked that up. A loon egg is about the size of 1 1/2 tennis balls. The female only has one working ovary so she lays one egg and then 1 to 3 days later the second egg. What really surprised me is that they can live to 25 or 30 years!
alisande
16 years ago
This thread turned out to be a wonderful science lesson. It's also hilarious. Thanks, guys!
trinitytx
16 years ago
I have a loon on my couch too, but is my husband....

Trin
pattico_gw
16 years ago
The last report says they now have an egg...I just saw her plop into the water and could not for sure see an egg. The must be brown. It doesn't show up well.

She must be cold...she keep pulling the stuff around her.

It's got to be cold on that lake.
alisande
16 years ago
The mic must be aimed right into the wind. It sounds as though she might be blown off the nest at any minute. :-)

A friend from Canada emailed me that she laid an egg. I love the fact that people from all over are watching this (unsuspecting) bird.
lydia1959
16 years ago
A friend from Canada emailed me that she laid an egg. That's amazing!!! LOL! Sorry... you just worded that funny.

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