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Loon Count Comes and Goes Quietly

July 29, 2008 - STANDISH -- Gary Mingo patrols lower Sebago Lake for the Portland Water District. He is the weekend patrolman who motors around in a boat in the area forbidden to the public, where the water supply for Greater Portland is withdrawn from the lake.

A former state police officer, Mingo takes his job seriously.

Apparently, Mingo also takes loons seriously.

The 25th annual Maine Loon Count run by Maine Audubon came and went quietly on July 19 after a ferocious storm ripped down trees the night before the early morning count.

As Mingo suspected, the loons were not on the east side of Lower Bay during the designated half hour -- 7 to 7:30 a.m. -- when hundreds of volunteers were counting on 300 Maine lakes and ponds.

On the east side of Sebago, the water was choppy, and there were no ducks or waterbirds to count.

Mingo didn't give up.

At 7:45 a.m., after the designated time to count loons had ended, he decided to motor over to where he knew the loons would be -- on the west side of the lake away from the wind.

At 7:55 a.m., Mingo pointed to three adults near the mouth of the Sticky River, where the lake was calm. He watched and motored slowly around the birds, then, after he had pulled away, threw the engine into gear to reach another popular loon spot.

Sure enough, at 8:10 a.m., Mingo held up his binoculars to identify three more loons: small black chicks bobbing in the distance.

Gary Mingo knows his loons.

"I like to tell the family about the time I came out early with the newspaper and turned off the motor by an island," he said. "The lake was like glass. And as I am reading, I see something out of my eyes. I turn, and three feet away are three loons bobbing. They just paddled around. I was amazed they were that close to the craft.

"That is one of those moments that defines loving nature."

Mingo said he regularly sees four to eight loons when he is on lower Sebago Lake, in areas where boat traffic is not allowed.

This is key to their success during nesting season -- which is going on right now.

And that's why it's critical, especially now, that boaters make room for Maine's loons, said Susan Gallo, Maine Audubon's biologist, who heads up the loon project.

Gallo said the population -- estimated last year by Maine Audubon at more than 2,800 -- has reached its limit in terms of the number that can exist in the available habitat.

"It has been documented that when there are too many loons on the lake, there is a lot of aggression," Gallo said. "If a parent is off defending its territory and leaves the chicks, they are more vulnerable."

Were there less development in southern Maine, Gallo said, there would be more habitat for loons. And, as a result, more loons on the landscape.

Care should be taken to avoid the shallow, marshy areas where loons love to nest, especially through July.

Islands are another popular loon nesting place, and leaving these little havens isolated into August can help loons raise their chicks.

Finally, staying clear of a parent loon with its chicks will help prevent the birds from separating. If loons scatter, the chicks are easy prey for birds and large fish, like northern pike.

"The other thing is getting people to clue in to the calls they make," Gallo said. "Most of the time, the calls made by loons during the day are stress-related. The general rule is, if you hear a loon sounding upset, try to back out of the area."

Last year, there were 6 percent fewer adult loons counted, although there were more chicks among the estimated population of more than 2,800.

The number of chicks recorded -- 422 -- was the highest number since the count started in 1983, according to Maine Audubon.

Gallo said it would be interesting to see if the past winter took a toll on the loon population. Unfortunately, as Mingo noted, the storm that ripped through southern Maine the night before this year's count may have hindered other counters, as it did Mingo and this volunteer.

So it was that upon returning to his boat at 8:30 a.m. after letting his fellow counter leave through the water district's locked gate, Mingo called my cell phone as I drove away from Sebago Lake.

"I just wanted to let you know," Mingo said, "that when I got back to the boat, there were three adult loons at the dock, just beyond the boat. Just thought you'd like to know that."

You betcha. Thanks, Gary.

By DEIRDRE FLEMING, Staff Writer, Portland Press Herald, July 27, 2008


Lakes: Sebago Lake
Regions: Sebago


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