I received the following message from Paige Crosby this evening:
 Peter and I wanted to pass along our observations of the second pond loons from yesterday and today.

Peter and I were out for an evening boat cruise around 7 pm on Thursday, July 6.  We saw the family of loons in the middle of second pond.  The baby was now diving and the whole family dove in search of a meal.  We watched.  The parents came up but no baby.  The parents kept diving, making quick trips to the surface, looking about and then diving again and again.  No baby.  We watched for about 10 minutes and soon realized that they had lost another baby.  Tonight, we took a late trip to the second pond and both parents were floating quietly together, looking in opposite directions, just resting.  We were sad, knowing that they would spend a summer alone, with no charges to care for.  We remember the summer of 2009 when these same parents left the weaker of their hatch on our waterfront to die.  That tiny loon made its way up onto my lawn and eventually into my lap--in search of warmth.   Despite the heroic efforts of humans, that little loon died later that afternoon.  Nature has its own way but one cannot help but feel the pain of the loss of "child."  These loons mate for life, return to our lake every year and hold a place in our hearts. 

This is sad news, but now we at least know for certain how and when the second chick was lost.  A special thank you to the Crosbys for sharing the sad story. And thanks to all the people who have been concerned about the welfare of the loon chicks in the middle pond.  Unfortunately, even though we now know what happened to at least one of the babies, there really isn't any way anyone could have prevented what happened.  We know there are some large northern pike here, and they will prey on both loon and duck chicks.