our oldest neighbors
Common Loons on Peacham Pond
The deepest part of Peacham Pond was formed by a retreating glacier about 12,000 years ago. It is quite possible that the Pond’s “first settlers” were loons. They have persisted to today with scant evolutionary change. The hoots and yodels we hear now are sounds from pre-historic New England.
Loons are unlike modern birds. They can barely maneuver on land. They stay in the water their entire lives except when incubating their eggs. Their nests are not much more than loon-sized bowls in the shoreline dirt, only a few inches above the water level. Survival of those eggs to become the cute, fuzzy chicks we enjoy seeing each summer is dependent on that water not flooding the nest from mid-May through early July.
Loon survival is thus fragile. As lake usage increased they became an endangered species in Vermont. In the last 30+ years the Vermont Loon Recovery Project has slowly rebuilt their numbers to almost 100 nesting pairs in the State. The island in the north arm of Peacham Pond was something of a hero in this effort. For two decades the nesting pair there hatched chicks almost every year.
Unfortunately, since about 2015 the number of loons and loon chicks hatching on Peacham Pond has substantially declined. The State loon biologist is not sure of the cause. It could be altered water chemistry, increased boat traffic, or something else entirely. We can help while still enjoying our lake activities. When nesting signs are out, take note and keep your distance - even in kayaks. The chicks leave the nest as soon as they hatch and the eggs are under the on-duty parent until then. Males and females share egg warming responsibilities. Avoid causing any boat wake that might flood a nest. The Vermont boating speed limit within 200’ of any shore is always 5 mph. Don’t play loud music, race motors, or yell near a loon nest. If a loon hollers at you at any time, back off immediately. Their perception of “private space” seems to be a bit larger the first few weeks the chicks are afloat. Do float quietly and use binoculars and longish camera lenses to enjoy our oldest neighbors.
Written by Rick Scholes 2021
To learn more about the Vermont Common Loon Conservation, please visit the Vermont Center for EcoStudies
2023 loon update
Number of nesting pairs: 4
Number of successful nesting pairs: 3
Northern island (closest to dam): 2 chicks
Eastern island (off of Mason camp): 1 chick
Southern cove (near the Calderara and Tetreault camps): 1 chick
Western cove: no chicks
The chick from the southern cove and one of the pair from the northern island disappeared in late July/ early August. We do not know what happened to these two, but many eagles were spotted. The chick from the southern cove was seen moving around the southern bay not long after birth, an area which can get busy in the summer. The two remaining chicks were seen swimming around the dam area as recent as the first week in October, each with one parent. From Cornell Lab, All about Birds: “Like many young birds, juvenile loons are really on their own after mom and dad leave at about 12 weeks. The parents head off on migration in the fall, leaving juveniles to gather into flocks on northern lakes and make their own journey south a few weeks later. Once the juveniles reach coastal waters on the ocean, they stay there for the next two years. In the third year, young loons return north, although they may not breed for several more years (on average they are six years old when they start breeding).”
A big thank you again to everyone that helped out with sign placement and removal, communication with GMP and the Peacham Pond Association, providing observations and updates, and keeping an eye out for the new chicks.