The heat wave coming across the country probably won’t quite reach us here in the Adirondacks, but to the west and south of us they will have record temperatures in the 90s. We did have more rain this week as I measured over 3 inches in my gauge. As you drive down any of the roads in the area, you begin to see a change in the leaves. This is seen mostly in wet areas and along the lake shores, which are the first to change. With all the rain and temperatures remaining high, many trees are still putting out more leaves, but that is about to end.
It is going to be a momentous year for growing mushrooms, and on most of my hikes to different lakes I see them growing along the trails and lakes. I went up to Bubb and Sis lakes the other day and took a paddle with me. I found a canoe to use there. It had been reported that the loons had two chicks there, but I saw no loons on the water and didn’t find any nesting sites as I paddled around Bubb Lake.
I did have one fly over giving a tremolo call, but it didn’t land. Looking around Sis Lake, I saw no loons, but an otter swam across the pond fishing along the way. On the shore of Bubb Lake, near where I found the canoe, there was a forest of ghost flowers (Indian Pipes.) There were more ghost flowers in this area than I had ever seen in one place, so it was worth taking a few pictures. There were both grass pinks and rose pogonias gone to seed in boggy areas along the shore. I found several lady slipper’s with seed heads in the woods along the shore as I looked for the canoe.
Another day, I grabbed a paddle and went into West Pond off Big Moose Road. I had heard there was a canoe there as well and a pair of loons with two chicks. This would have been a first for that pond. I found the canoe the first time I went in, but didn’t have time to paddle around the pond. There was a single loon fishing out in the middle, but I saw no chicks. I went in the next day and paddled the entire shoreline. I checked around the many bogs and bog islands looking for a loon nest site.
There were no loons on the pond that day and I found no nest sites. There was a family of wood ducks, which kept ahead of me as I went around the pond. They gave me some of their squeak calls now and then. The bogs were covered with lots of sundews, pitcher plants, and other bog plants. I saw many orchids that had gone to just seed heads hiding there also.
I went into Cascade Lake off Big Moose Road to check for chicks there. I don’t know if someone did that for the Loon Census in July or not, but I check that lake every year and they haven’t had a successful nest there in several years. They have tried, but lost their nest each year. I didn’t have a canoe that day, but just looked with binoculars from shore. The wind was blowing quite hard, making fairly good waves on the lake. I talked to some folks walking out and they said they heard loons, but didn’t see any. I pick-sticked my way in, tossing out debris from the trail and tossed out some loose rocks the horses had kicked out.
A couple caught up with me right at the county line marker and asked, “Which way to the falls?” I said, “To the right” and someone had taken the sign pointing to the falls in that direction. I walked down to the shoreline behind the open field and played a few loon calls. I got one answer and saw a single loon out in the middle of the lake. Looking closer, I saw a gray chick following along behind the adult. Well, they finally pulled it off and had a chick. Now I will have to take in my little canoe and find their nest site and collect the egg chips (and maybe a whole egg, if it didn’t hatch.)
On Sunday, Aug. 25, we went up to the annual year-end loon celebration at the Veteran’s Mountain Camp on the south end of Tupper Lake with our granddaughter, Rachel, and her husband, Chris. It was a sell-out crowd at the BBQ where I was the honored guest speaker. My sister, Wendy, and her husband, Bob, supporters of the loon program, were there. I told a few loon tales of our loon banding adventures and rescues. It was a great venue for that event, and we even got to take a short boat ride around that end of the lake. It was the first time I had been on the lake day or nighttime. We saw four loons fishing and got a good look at the Bog River Falls coming into the lake on the boat ride.
Back at the BBQ, Nina thanked all those involved in putting this event on, including staff, board members, and volunteers. Then, Nina gave me the floor. After telling a few loon tales, I was given a beautiful little table with a pretty picture of a loon with a wing flap on top which was made locally, and a small loon backpack. One of the Loon Board of Directors then presented Nina Schoch’s husband, Bill, with a week-long salmon fishing trip to Alaska as she said, “Behind every good woman is a good man supporting that woman.” I think someone told them Bill loves to fish. An auction followed, with lots of money raised for the expanding Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation.
Fire tower lighting is coming this Saturday with a rain date on Sunday from 9 to 9:30 p.m., but that’s another story. See ya.
Photo at top: Pitcher plants. Photo by Gary Lee.
Why do you collect the egg fragments?
Gary – it was great to catch you on the Cascade Lake trail and thanks for pointing us towards the falls. A long, but gorgeous walk that day and the falls were as forceful as ever. Thanks for you all you do for the loons. Meg