Annual Loon Census to be held Saturday, July 18

MOULTONBOROUGH — The Loon Preservation Committee will conduct its Annual Loon Census on Saturday, July 18, from 8 to 9 am. During that hour, LPC staff and volunteers throughout the state will take to the lakes to count loons. Following the Loon Census, the Loon Preservation Committee will host its 47th Annual Loon Festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Loon Center in Moultonborough.

“The Loon Census allows us to simultaneously survey hundreds of lakes across the state at the same time,” said LPC Outreach Biologist, Caroline Hughes. “The more people who participate, and the more lakes we can cover, the better the census data will be.” In addition to creating a snapshot in time of New Hampshire’s loon population, the Loon Census also helps LPC to monitor the progress of known loon nests, discover previously unknown nests, check on the survival of chicks that have hatched in the previous weeks, and detect new loon chicks that may have hatched since biologists last surveyed a given water body.

After the Loon Census, the 47th Annual Loon Festival will be held at the Loon Center in Moultonborough from 10 am – 2 pm. The Loon Festival is a family-friendly event that will feature loon presentations given by LPC biologists, a Discovery Table and live animal ambassadors from the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, a fun and educational display about lake ecosystems from NH LAKES, live music by Peter Heimlich and the Unusual Suspects, face painting, balloon animals, loon themed crafts and games for kids, and a dunk tank where a correctly-answered loon trivia question will earn participants a chance to dunk a biologist.

New Hampshire’s Loon Census is part of a much larger regional effort — at the same time that biologists and volunteers are setting out on New Hampshire lakes, counterparts in Maine, Vermont, and New York will be out doing the same. The Loon Preservation Committee is seeking additional volunteers to help cover lakes that have not historically had census volunteers. Those who would like to sign up to help can contact LPC at (603) 476-5666.