Third annual “Loons From the Lake” educational program offered in Rangeley

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Following lunch, two boats will cruise Rangeley Lake with biologists on board to discuss the loons who live on the lake.

RANGELEY – Rangeley Region Lake Cruises is happy to announce the continuation of our increasingly popular summer event designed to educate the public on the life, habits and reproduction of the majestic Common Loon. The program is scheduled on Saturday, July 22 and will include presentations by biologists from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, Brookfield Renewable and Biodiversity Research Institute, lunch at The Gingerbread House Restaurant and a 1½ hour Special Loon Cruise on Rangeley Lake.

MDIF&W Education Coordinator Lisa Kane will kick-off the activities with a presentation on the Department’s conservation and education efforts in the management of Maine’s Common Loon and Bald Eagle. Lisa coordinates the award winning national program, Project WILD for students in pre-K – 12. Lisa’s interactive presentation will include loon and eagle mounts and as well as an informative question and answer session. This presentation will last approximately one hour and take place inside the Rangeley Outdoor Sporting Heritage Museum (OSHM) located in Oquossoc Village.

Following Lisa’s presentation, participants will walk next door to The Gingerbread House Restaurant for a buffet lunch. During lunch, biologist Kyle Murphy will give an overview of the loon management and radio-telemetry studies conducted by Brookfield Renewable as part of their management of the hydro-electric facilities throughout New England. Additionally, Alex Dalton, a loon biologist with BRI, will provide an overview of the 2016 survey conducted on the nesting habits and reproduction rates of the loons on Rangeley Lake.

After lunch, the program will conclude with a special 1½ hour cruise arranged by Rangeley Region Lake Cruises. Two vessels will cruise on Rangeley Lake to observe loon pairs and their chicks in their natural habitat; as well as keeping an eye out for bald eagle and osprey. Each vessel will have a wildlife biologist onboard and will include discussions on the observed behavior of the loons and other wildlife. Cruises will depart from and return to the State Boat Ramp in Oquossoc. Bring your binoculars and camera.

The program will start promptly at 10 a.m. at the OSHM. There is a $5 per person donation requested for entry into the museum. Lunch and presentations at The Gingerbread House Restaurant are planned from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The lunch buffet is $13 per person and participants will pay for lunch individually. The 1½ hour lake cruise will depart at 1:15 p.m. The cruise cost is $40 per person.

Pre-registration is required for this event and the deadline is Thursday, July 20. The maximum number of participants is 40. To reserve your seat contact Rangeley Region Lake Cruises at rangeleycruises@gmail.com or 207-670-8391.

Rangeley Region Lake Cruises, in partnership with the Rangeley Outdoor Sporting Heritage Museum, is proud to provide special educational and historical programs to the Rangeley Lakes Region. The OSHM was voted Yankee Magazine’s 2014 Best Sporting Museum in New England. Additional information on their summer programs can be found at www.rangeleyoutdoormuseum.org. Rangeley Region Lake Cruises, voted 2017 Down East Magazine Best Boat Cruise in Maine (also on 2014 and 2015), offers scenic lake cruises and guided kayak trips on the Rangeley Lakes. A full description of their offerings can be found at www.rangeleylakecruises.com.

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