Loon Monitoring on Lake George as part of the Annual Loon Census for the Adirondack Cooperative Loon Program (ACLP)

Volunteers, organized by the Lake George Association (LGA), counted loons on Lake George as part of an annual monitoring program aimed at determining the relative health of the population of the signature Adirondack bird.

Yes, there are Loons on Lake George in July.

2009 is the third year that the LGA has helped coordinate volunteers for the Adirondack Annual Common Loon Census. Now housed under the newly created Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation at the Biodiversity Research Institute, the census continues to provide researchers and managers with valuable data about loons in the North Country. Click here for more info about the program. 

We had 14 groups of volunteers sign up to help monitor for loons this year on Saturday July 18th from 8-9 am. There were a number of loon sightings, and we have posted some of the photos. (See loon photos submitted by our volunteers.) 

The official count will be published in the annual report of the loon census. We plan to continue to help coordinate this effort again next year, so if you couldn't make it out for 2009, put it on your calendar now for 2010! The census is always the third Saturday of July, which will be July 17th.

Lake George has been included in the census since 2004. No loons were recorded on Lake George for the 2004 census and only 1 loon was recorded in the 2005 census. In 2006, three adult loons and one immature loon were seen on Lake George. In 2007, the number increased to 5.

Over time, these numbers will indicate trends in the loon population that will help with management efforts if needed.

For more info about the ACLP or the annual loon census, go to www.adkscience.org.