Loon Update

This came early this morning from Gretchen Farnsworth:

 Sadly it looks like our loons have abandoned the nest. I think because of harassment form the eagles but it certainly could have been for another reason. I sent Eric [Hansen] an email to let him know. Sometimes he checks the nest to see if he can figure out the cause. On a happier note the pair at the corner of 2 & 15 were still on the nest so I hope they are successful in rearing a chick this summer.

 Those are probably wise loons - easier to abandon the nest (and perhaps look elsewhere for a likely spot) than to hatch a chick for the eagle to get. Nature is cruel sometimes, but it's almost always best if we don't interfere. I doubt there is much we could do to protect the loons except perhaps try to discourage the eagle from hanging out here - but I don't believe there are many threats to eagles - they are pretty much at the top of the pecking order (no pun intended!)

Another beautiful day this morning, but watch out for T-storms later this afternoon. Right now it looks too beautiful out there to worry about anything, but things can change quickly and it's best not to be out on the water in an electrical storm, so keep an eye on the sky and head for home port when you see those dark clouds coming. 

I've always feared thunder storms. When we lived on Cabot Plain, the farm was at the highest point around and when lightning began to flash, there was literally no place to hide. We kids would sometimes be caught out in the pasture rounding up cows or delivering them to the night pasture after milking; or sometimes we were out in the hay field with nothing but metal machinery around us. If we were on a piece of machinery, my father would yell out to us to get off and "run for the house" when a storm approached - and from there I watched terrified as he rode the tractor, with whatever machine he was working with, as fast as possible off the pinnacle to get under cover himself. Sometimes, if the storm was too close, he'd abandon the tractor and run with us. When we were out in the pasture we were told never to take shelter under a tree, but to find a hollow in the open and lie as flat as possible in that depression until the storm passed. My cousins and I were caught in the woods several times and I remember how upset I would get with them (they two city boys who grew up in Hartford, Connecticut) because the older one, Herb, insisted that the safest place to be in a thunder storm was along the electric light line; he had heard "life line" and thought that meant it was a safe place, I guess. I had always been told to stay away from light lines, electric fences, etc. and sometimes we spent precious minutes arguing about that when we should have been high-tailing it for home when the sky began to darken. Somehow we all made it to adulthood despite the dangers we encountered (or created) growing up.

I have plenty to keep me busy today, and I really didn't intend to reminisce here this morning, so now I'm going to have some breakfast and get my day started. Be safe.