First Reported Loon Sighting: Spring 2010

Friday, March 19, 2010: We're glad to report our first Spring loon sighting! The loon pair has arrived on their territorial Mecosta County lake; coming in as soon as the ice was out. We are happy to be starting to welcome our beautiful Michigan loons back home!

Tremolos: February 2010

TREMOLOS

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News Page from
Michigan Loonwatch - Michigan Loon Preservation Association
February 2010

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“First Year: Summer's End” by Clay Wilton

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A Very Good Year Ahead!

As MLPA moves out more independently from its long-time affiliation with Michigan Audubon Society, we find that our work becomes even more exciting, the support for our group and our work is strengthening and growing, and we are looking forward to a full and rewarding season ahead. Our Michigan Loonwatch program continues to expand with more and more concerned and dedicated citizens taking on the role of Loon Ranger. As we begin preparations for the return of the loons to our northern waters, we are once again hoping for a successful year for the loon families that will grace our lakes this coming summer.

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Michigan Loonwatch: an Overview

Michigan Loonwatch is the loon management, protection and registry program of the Michigan Loon Preservation Association, operating under the direction of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and following the Michigan Loon Recovery Plan.

Each year since 1986, our Loon Rangers have monitored and protected Michigan’s loons on a day-to-day basis throughout the state. It is the oldest loon program in the state and Michigan’s only loon-oriented program providing statewide monitoring, protection and educational outreach on the loons’ behalf.

Our Loon Rangers work with state and federal agencies, as well as with other groups and citizens in the efforts for Michigan’s loons and other wildlife and habitat. Each year, the Rangers return reports to us that detail the loons’ activities and also provide statistics that help us to understand the population trends as well as how the birds are faring on particular lakes and throughout the state. This enables us to better know their needs and how to focus our efforts to protect and preserve this natural treasure.

Joanne C. Williams, State Coordinator MLW, MLPA

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2009 Preliminary Lake Reports
MI Loonwatch 2009 preliminary statistics reported through 2-23-2010, to be updated as additional reports are received:**

Loon Pairs: 138
Nests This Year: 112
Chicks Hatched: 143
2 Week Chicks: 125
6 Week Chicks: 113
Chicks Fledged: 110
Hatch per Pair: .965
Fledge per Pair: .797
Fledge per Hatch: .769
# of Lakes Reported: 148

**Not all loon nesting lakes are registered (entered in our data system). The registered lakes do not make a scientific sample of any area. New and updated information is regularly received.
(**The 2009 loon information from the Ottawa National Forest has not yet been received.)

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MLPA Annual Meeting!

Sunday, May 23, 2010 is a date that we hope you will mark on your calendar. It will be our Annual Meeting from 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. at the beautiful Carl Johnson Nature Center in Cadillac. We will have a guest speaker, and there will also be opportunities to find out more about Michigan's wonderful loons, as well as about our work to protect them throughout the state. More details will be forthcoming as we prepare and look forward to this happy yearly loon event!

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Loon Echoes Newsletter Coming Out Soon!

The next issue of our MLPA quarterly newsletter "Loon Echoes" will be coming out in Mid-March. This will be a special issue for membership as well as a look ahead as our Loon Rangers prepare for ice-out and the spring arrival of the loons. This issue will be sent postally to all members.

We invite new memberships at any time; our membership opportunities begin at $10. Contact Luanne Jaruzel: jaruzel@tds.net for more information, or visit michiganloons.com. We also invite you to visit our two blogspots: www.michiganloonpreservationasssociation,blogspot.com, and www.michiganloonwatch.blogspot.com

"Tremolos" is the online news page for Michigan Loonwatch and Michigan Loon Preservation Association: Michigan's oldest and only statewide loon protection, monitoring and education organization, operating under the direction of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and within the guidelines of the Michigan Loon Recovery Plan.

On the Road with MLPA-MLW Programs

MLPA-MLW presents loon programs statewide. Our MLPA Board members, as well as many of our Loon Rangers and Area Coordinators, bring presentations to many groups, including schools, nature centers, libraries, lake associations, Audubon chapters and public and private events, and more. We can provide a presenter in your area and we would love to visit and share our knowledge and love for Michigan's loons! Please contact us at westhova@ferris.edu or michiganloons.yahoo.com.

Some of our programs are presented along with Wildlife Recovery Association, as we also present live birds that share the loons' habitat. Our loon mount, Mahng, also often accompanies us on presentations.

Above: Joe Rogers and Joanne Williams present at Gaylord Audubon: 1) Showing our loon study skin, Slim, to audience members, and 2) At our host's display table before the presentation.

(photos by Tim Palin)

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If you would like to learn more about loons, then you will surely enjoy the excellent DVD by MLPA-MLW's Jeff Lange, "The Uncommon Loon". This beautiful documentary biography of a loon family's season here in Michigan can be ordered for $24 from Jeff or from MLPA's Loon Mercantile. Email Jeff: uncommonloons@gmail.com or Arlene: westhova@ferris.edu. Please visit www.theuncommonloon.com to learn more and for a beautiful preview of this extraordinary film. Jeff is also happy to present programs to interested groups; please contact him for more information.