On July 19 the New Hampshire Loon Census was conducted throughout the state that included Great East Lake. Vermont, Maine and New York also did one on the same day. This year 626 observers covered 133 New Hampshire lakes. A total of 549 adult loons were counted as well as 12 immature loons and 91 loon chicks.70% of the nesting pairs hatched 197 chicks.
On Great East we counted 14 adult loons and 2 chicks. Our lake had 3 confirmed nesting pairs in the Scribner River, South Cove and the Second Basin with a possible fourth unconfirmed pair on Loon Island. The three pairs each produced a single chick. Having a nesting pair in South Cove was a first in recent years and was probably the same pair that had nested in Copp Brook in previous years. Unfortunately the chick from the Scribner did not survive and disappeared shortly after hatching but the two from South Cove and the Second Basin did and were observed recently after Labor Day weekend. The following is census data for Great East for the last five years.
Territorial Pairs Nesting Pairs Chicks Hatched Chicks Surviving
2010 4 2 2 1
2011 4 2 4 4
2012 4 2 3 3
2013 4 2 1 1
2014 4 3 3 2
Overall both the State and Great East had a rather positive loon year!
Shortly before the GELIA Annual meeting we had a report of two jet skis harassing several loons including a chick. If anyone sees this happening in the future they should try to get the bow number of the boat or jet ski and report it to the Association or the appropriate state.