Fishing & The Common Loon

I first encountered the Common Loons many years ago when as a teenager I began car-topping a little 12’ jon boat to a nearby lake for fishing. I enjoyed hearing their lonesome calls and on occasion was close enough to make out their striking plumage. I didn’t pay enough attention though to realize that the loons were transients passing through on their annual migration. My attention instead was centered on the fishing.

With the rekindling of my interest in wildlife photography I find myself paying much more attention to details and digital photography allows me to easily check image dates to see when my first and last encounters with a given migratory species occurs.

Upon arriving at the lake on a recent morning I observed six loons fishing directly in front of the boat launch. Moving into the area I was soon treated to an interesting and beautiful display as the loons continued their fishing with little concern for the presence of my boat. Occasionally the water would boil beside the boat with minnows flying through the air as a loon pursued them to within inches of the waters surface. Other times a loon would pop up nearby and look around for a moment before submerging.

Finally after shooting around 150 images I reluctantly left the loons to do a little fishing of my own.

This image of the Loon stretching its wings is my favorite from the extended photo session.