· Wildlife
Who's calling at night?
The loons, the owls and the bird that sounds like a squeaky gate. A short guide to what you hear from your tent.
Most first-time guests ask the same question at breakfast: what was that?
The long, sad call
That’s the black-throated diver, or loon, two pairs of which nest on the islands every year. They call most on still evenings. Please give the islands a wide berth in a canoe until the chicks are out in July.
The hooting from the pines
Tawny owls, a pair in the old larches by the treehouse. The male hoots, the female answers with a sharp “ke-wick”.
The squeaky gate
A young long-eared owl begging for food. It goes on all night in June and stops when the parents have had enough.
We keep a bird book at reception. Write down what you see: last summer’s list had 74 species.