Loon cam offers rare look at hatching and growth of chicks at Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center

Kalli Hawkins | June 23, 2025

Over the past month, a newly launched live loon cam at the Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center has given the public a rare chance to watch two loon chicks hatch and grow.

Earlier this spring, the Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center, located towards the end of the Gunflint Trail, equipped a loon nesting platform on Saganaga Lake with a live cam.

While Chik-Wauk has used a loon nesting platform in the past, this summer is the first time the platform has a live cam, offering an up-close view of the hatching and early development of loon chicks.

Throughout the process, Chik-Wauk has documented and shared updates on its Facebook page. In May, the museum and nature center shared, the first egg was laid on May 12 at 4:13 a.m., and two days later, on May 14 at 9:14 p.m., the adult loon laid a second egg.

Throughout the next month, the male and female loon took turns incubating the eggs. And nearly a month later, the two loon chicks arrived.

The first loon chick poked its head out after 27 days of incubation, arriving on June 8, said Bonnie Schudy, the Chik-Wauk Museum site manager. The second loon chick arrived after 26 days of incubation, arriving on June 9.

“We did have two successful hatches, and it was great we could watch it,” Schudy said.

Baby Loons at Chik-Wauk | Photo by Kalli Hawkins

Since hatching, visitors to Chik-Wauk have had a chance to spot the baby chicks in the nursery bay near the loon nesting platform.

Schudy said the loon family doesn’t spend as much time in the nesting platform but instead can be found in various bays surrounding the area. “They kind of tuck themselves into different bays.”

Loon family | Photo by Kalli Hawkins

Schudy said Chik-Wauk will continue to share the live webcam and post updates about the loon chicks on its Facebook page. As for next year, Schudy said she’s looking forward to bringing the live webcam back during loon nesting season.

“We’re definitely going to do it again next year,” said Bonnie Schudy.

WTIP spoke with Bonnie Schudy, site manager for Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center. The audio from the interview is below.

The live webcam is below: