LoonWatch Volunteer Programs

Volunteers are welcome and needed to help with work we do at LoonWatch, a program of the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute at Northland College, in Ashland, Wis. Below are descriptions of opportunities available to people interested in loons. Please contact us if you would like to volunteer!

Annual Loon Monitoring: Since 1978, hundreds of people across northern Wisconsin have helped us keep an eye on our breeding loon population. Volunteers attend a spring Loon Ranger Workshop to learn about loon monitoring, to hear what’s new in the loon research world, and to meet other loon enthusiasts. Throughout summer, Loon Rangers watch loons on lakes where they live, vacation, or often visit. Loon Rangers record when loons arrive, if they nested, how many chicks were produced, and any potential nest site threats. Loon Rangers also help protect loons by sharing information with neighbors and other lake users to ensure loons are undisturbed on nests and water.

The spring arrival of loons is exciting for anyone who has endured long, cold winter nights and brittle days. Loon arrival is a sign of warmth and the coming spring. Often, loons arrive within a day or two, and sometimes just hours, of a lake becoming ice-free. We find this first sighting of great interest and have a special card for LoonWatch volunteers to fill out and send in when the loons return to their lakes. This information is shared with Journey North, an internet-based program that educators across North America use as a tool to teach students about animal migration and spring phenology.

Public Education: LoonWatch Speakers’ Bureau is a corps of volunteers who are trained and given tools for giving educational Common Loon programs to schools, scout troops, civic organizations, and lake groups. Interested volunteers attend a one-day Speakers’ Bureau Training where they learn basic loon biology and program design, and are given references for preparing programs. LoonWatch provides slides and props and advertises the availability of program volunteers. This is a great way to be a “voice for the loon” in your own community!

Assistance with Loon Research Projects: LoonWatch works with multiple partners including the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the National Park Service on collaborative Common Loon research projects. Volunteers often help with this very important work. Past projects involving volunteers include studying the impact of development on lakeshore wildlife habitat in Wisconsin, and creating a breeding loon atlas for Isle Royale National Park, Michigan. This is a great way to contribute toward understanding loon ecology and learn how land and lakes can be managed to enhance loon nesting success.

Other Loon and Habitat Conservation Volunteer Programs

Citizen Lake Monitoring Network (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources) 
This lake monitoring program provides training to help you learn more about your lake, collect valuable data, and watch for long-term changes in lake water quality.

Clean Boats, Clean Waters (University of Wisconsin - Extension) 
Help stop the spread of exotic aquatic invasive plants and animals. Educate lake boaters and inspect watercraft for invasive species.