This just in from Evelyn Richer:

Hi Jane...

Yes... the loon's return almost always coincides with the ice out time...
(from Ice Out to Newsletter... in between there some time...) This year is
no different... (He is early just like the Ice Out) The earliest we can
recall the male showing up is on April 8th several years ago... but he
didn't stay, because the channel was not cleared of ice yet... This guy
seems like he is quite content to stick around he's been fishing most of
the time.

Ray has to 'place' the loon's platform and the barrier too. The loon was
swimming in that area this morning possibly wondering where the nest
is... Every few years Ray has to redo the cables to the anchoring system
and since one of the cables snapped a year ago, we figured we'd anchor
both the barrier and the platform on the shoreline for the winter then
in the spring he would replace all the cables... For the most part, Ray
has discovered that it is safe to leave the platform in place over the
winter, but every three or four years the cables need replacing.

The female will be along within the week, most likely...

Enjoy your Sunday afternoon!  Evelyn