The State of NH Loon Populations… And Opechee’s Connection

Photo stolen from LPC

The Loon Preservation Committee’s (LPC) mission is to restore and maintain a healthy population of loons throughout New Hampshire. LPC is headquartered in Moultonborough.

The LPC recently published a report entitled “Persistence: Forty Years of Preserving Loons and Their Habitats in New Hampshire”. In their report, LPC provides statistical evidence showing that habitat and loon protection efforts are working for the benefit of the loons on our lakes. Challenges remain, however, as threats to loon health are ever-present—loss of habitat, water quality degradation, and poisoning from lead-based fishing tackle.

Most of their findings are good news for our loons. Some major takeaways from the report include an increase in overall loon population statewide, a record number of chicks hatched from created loon habitats, and an improvement in chick survival rates.

Photo by Ian Bryson

On Opechee, for the first time in recent memory, a loon pair nested and hatched a chick this summer due in large part to the efforts of LPC by providing and maintaining a nesting raft. The chick appears to have recently fledged successfully. Lake residents and LOPA members were elated to watch junior grow up on our Lake this summer and fall.