Summer Residents on the Cullen Chain of Lakes

Wildlife sightings on Lower Cullen Lake for Spring, Summer and Fall of 2011

April 19  From Ann Beaver
  After being out of state since April 2, we were thrilled this morning to see a loon swimming in the open water off our shoreline. Shortly thereafter, we saw a loon taking off into the wind. Was it a visitor just checking out the lake and food supply or was it one of our two resident couples checking out the lake for residence suitability?

The Highway 371 eagles (in the white pine just north of Cullen Brook) are nesting, judging by the white head just above the nest's edge. They have been here all winter or at least for the last few months.

April 23 -- Several common mergansers have been frequenting our shoreline this past week whenever the wind pushes the ice away and opens up a bit of water. 

April 24 -- With SW winds pushing the remaining ice well shelf away from our shoreline, 19 common mergansers swam past in a single file line.  Shortly thereafter, they broke up into small clusters and did some fishing.  My guess is the remaining ice on the lake will disappear by nightfall -- there is a wind today, lots of sunshine, and temps should be around 60 this afternoon.

April 24 -- April 26 --  A dozen or so hooded mergansers graced our shoreline for over an hour this morning.  Later in the day a wood duck pair stopped by.

April 27 -- What could easily have been 100 white pelicans spent time on Lower Cullen today.  I hadn't realized before that they do not dive for their food like brown pelicans.  Instead, they feed like mallard ducks, tipping almost upside down on the water's surface to feed.  It has been snowing most of the day today; fortunately, it's warm enough that even the accumulating slush eventually melts.

July 5 From Ann Beaver
The Lower Cullen west end loons have one chick this year.  The family seems to be doing well.  

There was a nesting couple at the east end of the lake but, as of our July 5 evening fishing outing, I don't know if they had a successful hatch.  We didn't catch sight of any young ones.  During this fishing outing,  Tom and I noticed a group of five adult loons in a group just east of the center of the lake. 

A dead adult loon (not one of the parents of the west end chick) washed up on the northwest shore last week.  It appeared to  have a broken wing and other injuries. 

July 13 From Ann Beaver
While kayaking around the perimeter of Lower Cullen yesterday afternoon, I noted the west end loons and chick are going well and the east end loons also have one chick. Let's all hope for a mild and long autumn so these late-hatched little ones mature enough to head south before the lakes freeze over.

---

Wildlife sightings on Middle Cullen Lake for Spring, Summer, and Fall of 2011

March 29  From Marie Boudrye  
The first chipmunk of the spring. Last year the chippy came out two weeks earlier. Ice out last year was on April 1.
No sign of ice out this spring until the temperature warms up.

April 4  From Marie Boudrye
The Red Wings are Baaack! I saw one on April 4 and six more on  April 5.

April 8 From Marie Boudrye
We are enjoying the return of three pairs of wood ducks down in the shallows at the lake's edge.
They are chasing each other and otherwise just enjoying being back home.
They do look for some cracked corn (which we will purchase today).

April 9 From Marie Boudrye
The first two otters popped through the ice this afternoon. Fishing must be good.

April 11 From Marie Boudrye
A Great Blue Heron wading in the shallows avoiding three otters on the edge of the ice. An osprey overhead and about 8 wood ducks chasing each other and gobbling up corn.

April 13 From Phil Reichenbach
Saw a wild turkey wandering in my yard at 0630 this morning.

April 15  From Marie Boudrye
Just before dark last evening, there appeared a young eagle hovering over the open water. We thought he might have seen a fish. He then went down into the water and was struggling with something. He almost appeared to be going under water. This happened at least twice more and finally he "dragged" his catch on to the ice... too big for a fish ... it was a duck. Very soon, another young eagle came down and tussled with the first until he dropped a part of his catch. Both eagles separated with their meals and proceeded to eat while still on the ice right in front of our faces. It reminded us of the shots in Alaska where all those eagles gathered for the discarded salmon parts.
This morning, Charlie heard the first call of a loon. YES! Portends good news!!!

April 16  From Bruce Jones
We had two robins in the yard.  April 17 saw a loon swimming in the open water.

April 20 From Phil Reichenbach
A cardinal stopped by my Mountain Ash tree for about 15 seconds  - then flew away.
Spotted a porcupine taking a nap on a fallen aspen... it will be a long nap.

May 18  From Marie Boudrye
A pair of Canada geese brought their six goslings for a visit this morning.

June 20  From Marie Boudrye
We saw six wood duck babies this morning, the first this year. Last year, we saw none!

June 25  From Marie Boudrye
Yesterday, June 24, it was a beautiful, clear evening. We took a pontoon ride and saw a pair of loons and 2 babies, one being carried on his/her back and one swimming along between the two ... little puffballs, probably no more than a couple of days old! Here's hoping they stay safe.

At the far east end is a loon on a platform nest; 2 loons near John Hild's place; and at the far west end, one loon. We looked for a nest with, perhaps a female loon, but were unsuccessful.

July 3  From Marie Boudrye
We headed up the lake to see if any new "chicks" had hatched in the last few days. At the farthest east a loon was on a nest (near Arlene Rice) and the other was nearby. The middle Middle Cullens were secure, safe and intact along the shore of Reichenbach/Jacksons. We then turned toward the west and Hooray! Our westenders have two just hatched chicks. They, also, were being cautious and careful, what with all the jetskis, boats, skiers, tubes, etcs. it was pretty congested. We hope for a successful pair at the west end.

July 16 we enjoyed watching three otters splashing, rolling, diving, coming up with fish and eating them with relish. (It must have been a good day for fishing.) They carried on for at least 5 minutes before they headed west.


August 12 from Kathy Kriewald
In early May, my husband Ron, and our daughter Robyn, placed a loon nesting platform in front of our cabin on the east side of Middle Cullen.  After several failed attempts the female began nesting in earnest on June 12.  On July 10th, day 27, the first chick hatched.  The female and chick remained on the nest that day.  Then, early Monday, July 11th, mother and chick left the nest.  They were off the nest the entire day.  Then, at dusk two adult loons and the chick swam to the nest.  After circling the nest, the male left and the female mounted the nest, rolled the remaining egg, and settled on the nest.  She would bend her head low and call to the chick who was making a valiant effort to join her, but the chick was unable to do so.  It was difficult to watch the poor, struggling chick.  The next morning, the nest was empty, and we didn't see the chick again.  Because of her behavior, I've wondered if the female might be young and inexperienced.

September 2 from Kathy Kriewald
Early in the morning on Tuesday, August 23,  we observed a pair of beautiful Trumpeter Swans swimming in the channel on the east side of Middle Cullen in front of our cabin.  They were were only there for a short time and we haven't seen them since.

November 12 from Phil Reichenbach
Saw a Marten swimming in the shallows in front of the cabin.

November 19, from Marie Boudrye
Trumpeter Swans were gathered at the point in front of WRV. Several adults and each pair was escorting 4 to 6 gray cygnets.

---

Wildlife sightings on Upper Cullen Lake for Spring, Summer, and Fall of 2011

  April 16-  from Karen Fortman
 Here we go!
 
April 4 - Lots of honking geese on the ice - surprised perhaps that there was no "lake" yet?

April 11 - Red wing blackbirds by the dozen on our feeders.

April 14 - This morning, A LOON!!! Swimming in the now fairly substantial "lake" growing on our eastern shoreline.  Only 1 loon but "it" calls quite often.  And it sure can swim fast from one end of the water to the other....
 
April 15 - More excitement in the ever-growing "lake" water in front of our cabin.  Early this afternoon, 2 Canada geese and 10 trumpeter swans a-swimming!  And doing a lot of talking as well...what a gorgeous site.

April 19 - ICE is OUT!  The loon's mate is here as is a 3rd loon we suspect may be a fledgling from last year.  Saw through the binoculars a red-haired baffled duck - not sure if it is a golden eye or ?

April 20 - Oh boy!  It's pelicans all over the place.  Lots of flying from one bay to another...perhaps testing the water temperature?

May 13 - Put the hummingbird feeder out on May 12...today I saw the first hummer!  It was not as frenzied in its flying per the norm but rather sat on the feeder for quite a few minutes while it drank and observed its surroundings.  Of course....my camera was in the other room and any movement by me would have terminated the peace of this lovely little creature's meal so I chose to stay in the moment and observe.  What a marvelous experience.

July 12 - Am amazed at the number of loons nesting on the lower 2 Cullens.  On Upper, we have also increased the loon population.  While normally having 2 pair of loons, my kinfolk have noted 4 pair on Upper this season.  Two have 1 chick each.  Despite the lateness of the season, the loon pair on the SE shore (by Olson/Precht/Fortman) were late to start sitting.  LadyLoon was on the nest until Thursday of last week and neither mate has been seen since.  Their chosen nest is located in a highly populated snapping turtle community so we keep our fingers crossed that "our" little pair (and, hopefully, their family) have relocated elsewhere on the lake to enjoy the remainder of summer.  Also have seen more loons flying overhead this summer than I can ever remember seeing.....