We have a good news/bad news report tonight.  The good news is that one of the loon eggs has hatched at the nest on Pearl Island; the bad news is that the bald eagle that's been hanging out here at the pond may be waiting for lunch.  Here's what Evelyn Richer sent to me today:  I know that these scenarios are common with wild life - seemingly awful things happen all the time as one species preys on another in order to survive - but it would be sad if the eagle got any of the baby loons.

Hi Jane,

Yesterday, presumably, in the wee hours of the morning the first chick on
Pearl Island hatched... we were able to tell when by the calls the adults
were making, and by the siting itself by about 7 am... The second chick
has hatched this morning... so we have two chicks and we ask the usual
caution be taken by all to watch for the family and give them space...

Update on the other nest site between the first and second pond in the
narrows:  two eggs... still not hatched (but soon)

We hope the eagle moves on.. as the chicks are very vulnerable at this
point... he's come this time of year for the past 5 years just as the
loon chicks hatch it seems... he usually 'hangs' up here in the marsh,
but of course there may be much more for him to monitor with two active
nests here on Joe's...

Enjoy this sunshine!!  Blessings, Evelyn

I know that these scenarios are common with wild life - seemingly awful things happen all the time as one species preys on another in order to survive - but it would be sad if the eagle got any of the baby loons.  Of course, it happens all the time, and the eagle probably finds all kinds of small animals like squirrels, rabbits and mice, but I expect they generally have a better chance since they can hide in the underbrush.  The loon chicks are really "out there" and much easier for him to grab.


I worked in my flower gardens a while this morning.  I am losing some of my perennials as lilies-of-the-valley take over.  It's strange that I didn't notice that last year, although they must have been taking over then, too.  I can't believe so many could appear in just one spring.  I love them, but really don't want them everywhere.  I tried very hard to rid my lower flower bed of Japanese lanterns - those pretty orange lantern-shaped things you dry and use in fall arrangements - but today I found they are still there, with roots running in all directions and their leaves popping out of crevasses in the stone walls and under the canopy of big peony bushes.  I tried planting some along the road where the lupines grow each spring.  I thought they'd make a nice splash of color in the fall after everything else has died back, but as far as I know, none of the seeds or transplants took down there.  I suspect they somehow wriggled their way back up the hill where they're joyously going to overtake their original home ground in spite of my efforts. 

Another plant I don't seem to be able to control is euphorbia.  I put two plants in several years ago thinking the early yellow flowers would be a nice accent on either side of the philodendron.  They are, but now I have mounds of this stuff popping up everywhere.  I keep pulling them out - and just now, when I went to the above link, discovered the milky liquid in them can be toxic and cause irritation on skin - however, it hasn't bothered me, and I've pulled a lot of the stuff without my gloves on.  I guess I'll wear gloves from now on, though.


I moved some astilbe last year, and that is flourishing like never before.  My rhododendron, however, took a big hit last winter.  I was going to dig it up today and move it to a more favorable position (although there's really no place that's really good for them here, I'm guessing - too cold most years) and then I noticed there are lots of new shoots coming and it looks as if there will be some nice new leaves before the end of the summer.  I guess I'll leave it in place and just try to cover it better next year.  We didn't have enough snow cover this year to protect it from the cold weather, but I'll try to heap snow over it next year.  I've always wrapped it in burlap and then plastic around a wood frame to protect it against the wind and cold, but usually there's also a couple feet of snow over it, too.  Not so this past winter.


I think my southernwood bush bit the dust, too.  I transplanted it last year, but it doesn't seem to be alive.  I'll wait a bit to see if anything develops, but it isn't looking good.  It's a bush my mother had and always liked for it's fragrance.  I'm not partial to the fragrance, but I always liked it's delicate green foliage.


On the other hand, last fall when I cleaned out the big urns I'd had geraniums and other flowers in during the summer, I stuck a couple of dusty miller plants in the ground next to where I was working on a stone wall, just to fill a space.  It was a nice surprise today when I realized they are doing fine, so I guess I'll leave them there - a good contrast with the dark stones in the wall.