歪歪漫画

PARK RAPIDS, Minn. 鈥� Local wildlife photographer and loon educator Steve Maanum captured a winning photo of Minnesota鈥檚 beloved state bird.

His image of a Big Mantrap Lake loon and a chick on a nest, entitled "Patiently Waiting," is featured on this year鈥檚 Loon Appreciation Week poster.

鈥淥nce in a while I get lucky,鈥� said a humble Maanum.

He won the same contest in 2019.

It鈥檚 sponsored by LoonWatch, a program of the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute at Northland College in Ashland, Wis.

Held the first week of May, LoonWatch promotes loon education and conservation during Loon Appreciation Week by creating and distributing a new poster each year.

Maanum explained his photography process.

鈥淯sing a long telephoto lens, a photo blind and a great deal of patience, I was able to document the behavior of the adult loon and the first chick as both sat and waited for the second egg to hatch. As you can see from the upright posture of the loon, it is experiencing no stress and my hidden presence is not causing any discomfort during this sensitive time.鈥�

According to the Big Mantrap Lake Association ( ), 鈥淏ig Mantrap Lake boasts a high population of loons due, in part, to the lake's many bays and points, but a lot of it has to do with the lake's volunteer 鈥楲ooners鈥� who run the loon nesting program.鈥�

Maanum is one of those Looners.

This season, he reports, 鈥淭he first chicks appeared on the weekend of June 10-11, and by June 15, we counted 16 chicks on the lake. A total of 43 eggs were laid, one nest was abandoned and another nest lost its first two eggs to predators, so they re-nested and yesterday afternoon (June 14) an eagle raided that nest. Both eggs were lost. Incubation is still occurring on other nests so predation and hatching numbers may change day by day.鈥�

The management program on Mantrap began in the mid-1980s and 鈥渉as grown into a widely recognized success story,鈥� Maanum said.

Big Mantrap loons have been featured by National Geographic and the Smithsonian Channel.

鈥淭he miles of privately owned shoreline, and the commitment to leave it undeveloped, has been an essential and appreciated factor in making Mantrap Lake an important loon research location,鈥� Maanum continued.

Along with interesting loon facts, the LoonWatch poster emphasizes that 鈥淕ood nesting sites are critical loon habitat.鈥�

鈥淎ir and water pollution, loss of habitat, and increasing recreational activities on lakes all pose serious threats to loons across North America, and in some cases are responsible for loons and loon music disappearing from traditional nesting lakes.鈥�

LoonWatch also ensures that contest photos are taken in an ethical way. The guiding principle: Place the welfare and safety of the loons and their habitats above all else and avoid disturbing them in any way.

A general rule of thumb for good loon etiquette is to keep a distance of 200 feet from loons and loon chicks, according to LoonWatch.

Never flush birds 鈥� that is, disturb them and make them fly or swim. In breeding season, it can interfere with reproduction.

Never get too close to a loon family with chicks. If you separate a loon parent from its chicks, this could be fatal for the chicks, especially when they are very young.

Posters are available to the public for $7 each and may be ordered at .