The Loon Lady

06/25/2026

Emily is the Science to Policy Manager at the Vermont Center for Ecostudies. She is passionate about bridging the gap between scientists and policymakers to ensure that policy decisions use the best available science. When not at her computer, you can likely find Emily out exploring wooded trails.

06/24/2026

6/23/24 Please click on photos for full images. This morning I was planning to go out for a short paddle to check on our last two pairs that are still on the nest before the rain moved in. But I had a lovely surprise. Lena was back for a visit in her old chick rearing area! As I paddled towards the channel to check on the Causeway pair, I spotted a single loon floating near a dock outside the channel. I pulled out my binocs and recognized Lena's characteristic overbite and she flashed her violet over red bands. Lena knows me and comes close to my kayak. I floated nearby and hung out with her for over an hour. I told her how happy I was to see her again, and I hoped she'd find a better territory with much less boat traffic and without the incessant noise of leaf blowers. When she took a nap, I headed home. As I was tying down my kayak I saw a loon swimming up the shore. It paused two docks down and wailed twice, then dove away. I like to think it was Lena following me home.

06/22/2026

Watch for loons, slow down, and go far around! Loons will not dive when protecting chicks and chicks are difficult to see. Please share.

06/22/2026

6/21/26 This afternoon MN Loon Rescue received a call from Peggy who had found a lost or orphaned loon chick near their shore. As we talked, the chick was swimming around her feet. Without Peggy’s intervention the loon chick would have been easy prey for a predator and could not have survived on its own. Peggy and her family knew there was a loon family on the lake and they had heard an adult wailing. We advised them to try to unite the chick with this loon family. They safely contained the chick for the boat ride to its family, and the loon family readily accepted it. If the loon parents had not accepted the chick or the other chick attacked it, the chick would have been netted. Peggy and her family are monitoring the loon family to make sure the chick remains in its parents’ care. If not, it will be off to Wild and Free Rehabilitation Program in Garrison, MN. Thank you, Peggy and family for saving this chick!

06/21/2026

The loon ladies of Minnesota Loon Rescue were at the Aitkin County Rivers and Lakes Fair at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade today. It was a wonderful event! We had great conversations with so many people who care about loons and the environment. Huge thanks to Veronica, Ellie, and all the volunteers who organized and supported the fair!

06/19/2026

Stop by and see Minnesota Loon Rescue at the Aitkin County Rivers and Lakes Fair!😊

Join Us for the 2026 Rivers and Lakes Fair!

In 29 days, you can head on over to Long Lake Conservation Center to learn about all things related to natural resources. You could win a brand-new kayak, or have your child enter the color contest, where their design could win and become the sticker for 2027!

06/18/2026

6/18/26: Happy and Heartwarming Update! Early this week we learned the Boathouse pair, Jack and Diane, had lost one of their chicks over the weekend. Then we heard another pair in the same bay had 3 chicks. We checked the Bullhead pair and they had 2 chicks, but we were not able to check the other neighboring pair. One of the followers of this page shared info and video of the pair with 3 tiny chicks that were barely visible in the video. Darcy and I went out in the rain the next morning and observed the family - we had our binocs and confirmed that there were 3 chicks. Our best guess is the Boathouse chick became separated from its family in the weekend boat traffic and swam into the Mayo pair’s territory and they adopted it.
This morning we hit the water early in the Whaler. We cut the motor and the parents and the 3 chicks came close. Both parents were very busy fishing and feeding all 3 of the chicks. The chicks all looked healthy and they were getting along well. Sometimes MN Loon Rescue will place an orphan chick with a loon family with one chick of the same age. The biological chick may not accept the foster and will peck it, and then we need to try and find another foster family. This is not the case with this new sibling group. They swim together peacefully and cluster together when the parents are at a distance. The parents have accepted the lost chick and are caring for it very well. I got a little teary as I watched parents Nisswa and Bobber teaming up to satisfy their 3 noisy and hungry chicks. Central MN 🥰

06/16/2026

If you are in the Duluth or Babbitt areas, please consider helping these organizations out. They also help loons.

We received not one but two North American river otters yesterday, both arriving to us under differing circumstances. One was found alone in someone's yard and the mother never returned. The other pup was saved after the mother was hit and killed by a car. Thankfully the car missed the pup.

These two otters are now on their way to Cripple Critter Ranch in Babbitt, MN. If anyone out there has fish that you need to get rid of, we can guarantee you that Heather at Cripple Critter will take it! She has a lot of otters in her care this summer. You can find her contact information here: http://cripplecritter.com/

This has been an extremely busy time for us so we decided to run our numbers. It turns out that our animal admits from April 1 through June 15 are up by 25 percent from this same time period last year.

This also means that our expenses up are as well. Any support for the animals is much appreciated!

06/16/2026

6/16/26, The Boathouse pair lost a chick over the weekend. Boat strike or predator, either way we are very sad a healthy chick is gone. As we observed from a distance, mom Diane was leading the chick as the family crossed the bay. I don’t speak loon, but her short tremolos and backwards glances seemed to be urging the chick and dad Jack to stay close during the crossing. When we observed the family yesterday, she constantly tremoloed when Jack dove or swam a bit away. This seems to be new behavior since the other chick was lost.