by Bill Powell, CLA Director

This past summer I witnessed a very unusual occurrence on China Lake. In mid-May, a baby loon was hatched and seen swimming along with its parents in the north end of the lake. Seeing a baby loon at any time is a treat, but this “loonlet” and its parents were defying the odds.

Why? Well, first consider the nesting habits of the Common Loon. Soon after “ice out” in many northern lakes, loon pairs search for a nesting site that is secluded, away from boat activity and human disturbance, and protected from wave action and predators. Oftentimes they will select an island to build their nest on. Since loons cannot walk on land, they build their nests right on the waters’ edge. For loons to build their nest in a populated area—and for the chick to survive—is amazing. Yet, here they were.

The north end of China Lake is its busiest and most developed area, with a waterfront restaurant and a convenience store. Causeway Road, crossing the water’s edge, is the access road for one of the primary boat ramps on the lake. The area is very busy with boat launchings, bass tournaments, and people dining, shopping, and swimming.

Yet somehow our loon family had built a nest on the waters’ edge, incubated the egg for about 30 days without being disturbed, and hatched the chick into the commotion of the north end of China Lake. I talked to several lakefront owners in that area and no one had seen the loon nest during the incubation period. It’s possible that the nest could have been hidden in the inlet stream that is nearby.

I continued to observe the baby loon throughout the summer as the lake buzzed with activity. The loon family happily swam along, seemingly oblivious to the hustle and bustle.

One day I followed the baby loon and its parents along the shoreline. Mom and chick went under docks and around boats as they carried on their way. Every so often, one of the parents would surface with a small fish and feed it to the baby. I became particularly worried during the 4th of July fireworks. Boats were crowded into the area of the lake where the loons were, and it was dark. I knew no one would be able to see a baby loon. (One of the leading causes of loon-chick deaths is boat strikes.) But the loon family survived.​

Bass tournaments begin at the north boat landing, and I cringed every time as I watched bass boats take off, speeding down the lake to claim their fishing spots. One neighbor told me they watched as an eagle tried to make the baby loon its lunch. The baby was able to dive by this time, and avoided the diving eagle. Despite my fears, every time I went out to see if the baby had survived, there it was—diving, flapping its wings, and swimming with its mother.

The last time I definitely saw the baby was September 15th. Since then, the “baby” has become almost full grown and its plumage is very similar to the fall plumage of the adults. The young loon has also become a lot more independent, and often swims alone. I have recently been reassured by local lakefront owners that the “Miracle Loon” has survived the north end gauntlet.

But our loon has one more hurdle to overcome. Maine loons migrate to the coast to avoid being caught in the ice when the lake freezes over. It takes some practice and a long runway down the lake into the wind, but if our miracle loon managed to survive every obstacle to this point, flying off to the coast for the winter should be a piece of cake!

Bill Powell has lived for 43 years on the shore of China Lake and is on the Board of Directors for the China Lake Association.