Smith Cove Loons
 

The two loon chicks born this year in Smith Cove are really getting big! Just a couple weeks ago they were getting rides on mommy's back! Not anymore! As you can see in this video they are about the size of full size ducks now. It's amazing how quick they grew! If you listen close in the video you can hear the other loon parent calling.

This video was done this morning by me when all four loons popped up right next to my boat at the Glendale Docks. They were not scared in the least.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q04JuHa-SSY

Dan

Hi Dan,

Yes, we've been watching them since they were hatched.

It's been amazing to see the growth spurt that seemed to occur just in the last week.

We also noticed that they are starting to take long underwater swims now.

They started from a nest in our channel here at GYC, so it's been fun watching them grow!

Not to throw this off, but it appears there are TWO Smith Coves on Winni? One is off Moultonborough Bay, the other by Dan in Glendale?

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Wow I can't believe how they have grown the past two weeks. Good that they can dive now and keep clear of boats on their own if necessary. We have only seen them in Smith Cove or near Glendale within the no wake zone.

Alan

Safety First
 

Perhaps they know they are safe around slow moving boats. I presume they were making no wake. 🐻

Dan, how many salmon smolts do you think the adult loon can scarf in a days feeding period?
I know gulls and other sea birds can swallow huge fish but I don’t know if loons can do the same? I know cormorants are eating machines...

I'm not sure how big a fish they can swallow but I can tell you they had a feast for the past four years on the extremely small smolt that were stocked and so did many other predators! This years stocked smolt were huge so their survival rate will be much better!

The loons I'm sure are feasting on YOY perch which are quite plentiful at Glendale right now. They pretty much feed non stop so they eat a lot of fish...how many, I honestly have no idea...

Dan

Loon Diet:

https://loon.org/about-the-common-loon/loon-diet/

Alan

Thanks Alan!

According to that info "loons eat up to 2 lbs of fish per day". Based on that and to answer Hillcountry's question...in the past 4 years smolt salmon were stocked at approximately 17 per lb which means each loon could have consumed 34 fish per day. There were quite a few loons at Ames Farm in years past during and after stocking feasting on them!

This year they were stocked at 7 per lb. which made them large enough to easily evade most predators.

Dan

I would bet they eat year of young rock bass no problem!

They mention Glendale in the post. Although, honestly I only knew of the Smith’s Cove in Moultonborough!


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I've seen them chase up large small mouth bass up into the shallows multiple times and take them down with multiple pecks of the beak, before feasting

Sadly, I think a lot of people don't realize that all of Smith Cove is a no wake zone or am I mistaken?

You are correct. All of Smith Cove is a no wake zone.

Even without the NWZ, it's infrequent that you can move around the cove and not be within 150' of dock, boat, shore, etc. Nevertheless many people seem to add a little throttle after they clear the channel. Perhaps a habit from decades ago when the speed limit was just the channel? Or are people just impatient?

Yes...not a "muscle memory" thing at all. People are definitely, impatient!