COC Groomer/Loon biologist and new loon tracking app featured on NPR

The loons on Great Hosmer Pond and COC trail groomer, Eric Hanson, have made it all the way up the food chain from Vermont Public Radio to the voice of Scott Simon on NPR. Give it a listen!

Hanson, who logs many kilometers helping ready our trails for skiers through the winter months, has also been working as the lead loon biologist for the Vermont Loon Conservation Project since 1998. He helps coordinate this program for the Vermont Center for Ecostudies alongside Eloise Girard.

Hanson was recently accompanied by VPR reporter Abagael Giles onto Great Hosmer Pond as they used the new loon monitoring app, LoonWeb, to track loon location and behaviors. While Hanson and a plethora of volunteers have been doing this by hand for decades, this app will help organize the data and hopefully increase volunteers’ effectiveness.

Hanson also shared an update with us about our local loons and some advice for recreation goers, “A chick hatched out last week in the south territory on Big Hosmer. North pair might have started nesting on the raft in NE cove - but we have not confirmed that sighting. No signs up there so we advise people not to boat deep into the north part of that cove.”

He continued, “Never pursue loons or chicks for a good look or photo. Let them come to you (which they often on Big Hosmer as they are so habituated to boat traffic). Reel in if loons diving near nearby. Loons will take live bait and lures.”

We hope you get the joy of seeing loons out and about this summer in Vermont - consider logging your observations in LoonWeb!