[mcdude]

from W.M.U.R.

Number of loon hatches down this year

Adult population of threatened birds remains stable

MOULTONBOROUGH, N.H. —It was a tough summer for loon reproduction.

Dr. Harry Vogel, senior biologist and executive director of the Loon Preservation Committee, said that statewide, only 153 of the threatened birds hatched out, down from 170 the previous summer.
Just 115 survived. That, too, is down from 134 in 2012.
But there was some good news, including the stability of the adult population and the fact there are many more lakes to populate.
"The key is keeping the adults alive," Vogel said, and in that respect, it was a pretty good summer.
The annual Loon Census is done each summer.
"It was very successful and had lots of participation," Vogel said. "The census data is rolled into season-long monitoring data."
He said the census found 283 loon pairs. That number has been steady at about 280 for several years, Vogel said.
Staff observations are done across the state throughout the summer months before the birds fly out to the ocean or go south for the winter.
Vogel said June was the 10th wettest month in 145 years. Nests along the shore tend to get flooded out and ruined in rainy conditions.