Loon Nesting Program

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For over a decade, Halfmoon Lake Association (HMLA) has fostered and closely monitored a loon nesting program at Halfmoon Lake. The program is responsible for the annual placement of a floating loon nesting box near Fernhill Point. Thanks to the efforts of our volunteers, Halfmoon Lake residents and visitors enjoy regular sightings of adult loons and their chicks. Whether cruising by your dock, diving for food or crying out their distinct haunting wail, observers all agree loons are a unique part of the environment that makes Halfmoon Lake so special. While we enjoy the beauty of the loons on the lake, they also serve as strong indicators of our lake’s health.  For this reason, the HMLA has invested significant time and volunteer resources to encourage their nesting and mating. The best way we can encourage their health and well-being is to be cautious when boating in their proximity. Stay at a safe distance from the loons and always back away from an agitated loon, especially a mother loon, if it begins to make noise or approaches you. We hope all our residents and boaters will enjoy and protect our loons. To learn more about our loon nesting program, how it started and our dedicated volunteers, read below. 

To report a loon in distress contact:

Rick Dame: rcdame@ymail.com/603-303-0041

The Loon Preservation Committee: info@loon.org/603-476-5666

Update 4/30/2026: 

If you’ve followed our posts this week you know 2025 was a strong year for loon productivity in N.H. Compared with the previous decade, a higher percentage of pairs nested, they produced chicks at a slightly higher rate, and a greater percentage of those chicks survived. Overall productivity was 0.52 chicks surviving per territorial pair, the highest we’ve recorded in NH since 2015.

There is no single reason for the good year. Loon nesting and chick survival are influenced by a combination of factors, including management efforts, weather, disturbance levels, water level fluctuations, predators, and adult experience level.

Several of these factors likely contributed to the good year we saw in 2025, including:
1) Record Raft Usage: LPC floated 153 rafts across the state in 2025. A record 75 rafts were used, producing 77 chicks (31% of chicks hatched statewide). Rafts can help pairs facing water level fluctuations, shoreline development, or predation pressure. It’s important to note that not every loon pair needs a raft. LPC is careful and deliberate in determining which territories will benefit from a raft.

2) Reduced Human Disturbance: New Hampshire saw rain for 13 consecutive weekends from late March through mid-June 2025. Most NH loons begin nesting in late May or early June. The rainy weekends during the first weeks of the nesting season likely reduced human disturbance at nest sites.

3) Signs and rope lines: LPC staff and volunteers protected 154 nesting pairs with signs and/or rope lines in 2025. A record 137 chicks (55% of chicks hatched statewide) came from one of these protected nest sites.

4) Less rain During Chick Rearing: Chick survival increased more than any other productivity measure in 2025 as compared to the 10-year average. 2025 saw a drier-than-normal July and a record dry August. Recent research from The Loon Project suggests that reduced water clarity during chick rearing can lead to decreased foraging success and therefore reduced chick mass and survival. If less rain in New Hampshire last July and August allowed for clearer water, then adult loons may have been able to more effectively provide for their chicks.

To report a loon in distress contact:

Rick Dame: rcdame@ymail.com/603-303-0041

The Loon Preservation Committee: info@loon.org/603-476-5666