[wisb] Rock Lake bird mysteries (Lake Mills, Jefferson Co.)

From: Karen Etter Hale <chimneyswift1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Aaron Stutz <agstutz@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Cynthia Bridge <cynthiabridge@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 01 Aug 2012 21:38:19 -0500

For at least the past several years, we've had one or more Common Loons
on Rock Lake in the summer, all in basic (nonbreeding) plumage. This
summer, I've seen a single loon off the east shore - twice in June and
once in mid-July. At least four other people have reported a single
loon, also.

Then, in last week's Lake Mills Leader, there was an article from the
Rock Lake Improvement Association with a most intriguing report of a
"mother loon with three babies on board out for a swim in the middle of
the boating havoc Sunday evening...". Needless to say, I followed up
immediately to find out more, asking if the loon was in breeding plumage
(no) and if they'd taken any photos (no). The birds were seen on Sunday,
July 22, and here's more of the story:

"...they were at least 300 yards from shore just straight North of Sandy
Beach. I watched her thru the glass thinking she would give up and be
freaked by boats...but she paddled on seemingly unafraid with her 3
babies astride her back and dodging boats and skiers galore. After a
while she seemed to have accomplished her mission and started back
towards the marsh/trestle [on the south end of Rock Lake]. I wondered
where she might have her nest. Supposed the marsh...and yes her color
was very drab...Saw loons galore up North near Hayward on Lac Cour 'd
Oreilles (Northwoods Beach) this week. Those loons were much bigger and
colored up...not like our local dainty miss with her charges."

As we know from the Breeding Bird Atlas map
(http://www.uwgb.edu/birds/wbba/species/maps/COLO.htm), there were NO
loons found nesting in the southern third of the state, with the vast
majority in the northern third. I read through most of the Common Loon
account from Birds of North America today and could find nothing about
whether loons ever breed when they're in basic plumage. And why would
the loons up north look much bigger?

Well, the mystery deepens. Because the Lake Mills Leader article went on
to say that interested folks could send their questions, observations,
or photos to me (that was a surprise), someone did just that. The
Kruegers, who live at Elm Point on the southwest side of Rock Lake, sent
three photos of birds they didn't recognize. The first two were of a
Red-breasted Merganser taken on July 1 (there were actually TWO
mergansers there that looked alike, and the Kruegers saw them again
about a week later, closer to the trestle at the south end of the lake).
The third photo was of a Common Loon in basic plumage. See the photos
here (IF I did this right - I've never used Picasa before, so please let
me know if it doesn't work!): Rock Lake birds
<https://picasaweb.google.com/102295740065781614442/RockLakeBirds?authkey=Gv1sRgCOD0jbumz8uJ3gE#5771880248078302258>

Since it's very rare for loons to have more than two chicks, all
sightings here have been of a loon in basic plumage, this is so far
out-of-range (and on a very busy lake), AND this loon was presumably
much smaller than the ones up north, COULD the "mother with three babies
on board" be the merganser? The only trouble with that is that nesting
Red-breasted Mergansers would be even MORE unlikely, according to the
Atlas data (http://www.uwgb.edu/birds/wbba/species/maps/RBME.htm).

I am really hoping that some of you can help solve this mystery by
coming out and trying to find and photograph the bird(s) with the
chicks. The best bet would be to try for them from Sandy Beach park or
the Glacial Drumlin Trail at the south end of Rock Lake.

Thanks for any help.
Karen
--
Karen Etter Hale
Lake Mills
Northwest Jefferson Co.

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[wisb] Rock Lake bird mysteries (Lake Mills, Jefferson Co.)

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