Fishing for Loons

Common Loon

Arriving at the lake before sunrise this morning, mine was the third boat out.  With the air temp ten degrees cooler than the water, fog hugged the water limiting visibility.  Seeing the one boat heading north and the other still near the ramp I headed directly towards the western shore and began searching for waterfowl.  With the spring migration nearly over I realized that the likelihood of success was not high. 

As the sun began cresting the eastern mountain I heard the unmistakable call of a loon echoing down the lake loud from the north end.  Immediately I headed that way, passing the boat headed north earlier.  Locating the loon I began maneuvering for photographs.

But this loon had a very low tolerance for boats and dove before I could get to withing good camera range.  Soon it resurfaced and again I tried a slow approach but again it submerged with this pattern repeating until the other boat with two fishermen were close at hand.  With the loon underwater I was motoring slowly in tight circles waiting for the loon to pop up.  The pair of fishermen were intent on casting to the side of their boat when the loon surfaced only a few yards directly in their line of travel.  As they were looking to the side they failed to see the loon but the loon, alarmed by the close proximity of their boat, immediately dove with a huge splash.

Talk about a reaction from the fishermen!  Hurriedly they retrieved their lures and cast into the spreading wake where the loon had submerged.  No doubt they thought that a huge bass had jumped and were wasting no time getting their lures into the strike zone.  With a chuckle I continued to circle watching for the loon to reappear.  A few minutes passed and then it popped up 50 yards or so from their boat and once again dove with a huge splash.  Once again the fishermen heard the commotion but again failed to see the cause, so this time they motored over and resumed casting to the wake, and once again to no avail.

Feeling that the loon had had enough of the boats I only waited a few minutes and when it did not reappear I motored off to do some fishing of my own.   I don't know if the fishermen had a successful day but at least they do have the story of the huge bass that jumped twice but was so lure-shy that neither time could they entice it to hit. 

Loons are very adept fishermen but this encounter is the first I ever witnessed a loon fooling the competition :)

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Waterfowl Migration Winding Down

Ring-necked ducks taking flight

With the arrival of May the spring waterfowl migration is winding down in my area.  It all began back in late February with the snow geese and tundra swans arriving at Middle Creek and by early March buffleheads, lesser scaup, and common mergansers were on the local lake.  The mild winter had failed to freeze the lake so there was not the usual ice to impede their early arrival.

By early April these species had moved on and were replaced with hooded mergansers, ring-necked ducks, horned grebes, along with the resident mallards and wood ducks.  Last weekend a flock of ring-necked ducks were still on the lake.  During my visits yesterday and today I failed to spot them.

Common Loons

The loons arrived during the second week of April with the numbers peaking last weekend when I spotted at least four individuals.  I photographed this pair yesterday but today was unable to spot a singe loon.  More loons may arrive yet however I will not be surprised if this is the last I will see them this spring.

Common Loon, winter plumage

As the loons pass through our area both the breeding and winter plumage can be seen with birds of both plumages being seen in nearly equal numbers.

Loon in flight

Check out how the loons feet extend well beyond its tail apparently acting as its rudder in flight.  The loons legs are positioned far back on its body; perfect for diving but useless for walking on land.  A loon causes a considerable commotion taking flight as it must patter for well over one hundred yards to gain enough speed to become airborne. 

Seldom have I observed a loon return to the lake once it takes flight.  Typically the loon, once in the air, will circle the lake a number of times clockwise gaining altitude with each pass.  After three to five passes it will be high in the air while I watch it passing over the north end of the lake soon becoming a mere speck above the horizon before disappearing completely.

Red-breasted Merganser

The female and immature red-breasted mergansers are the last to leave.  I have never observed mature males later than mid April however hens and immature males will stay well into May, sometimes as late as the last week.  I photographed this female stretching her wings yesterday after she had emerged from fishing underwater.

Female Red-breasted Mergansers

The mergansers were very actively fishing yesterday and diving frequently.  I enjoy watching these birds when they encounter a large school of baitfish.  The birds will go from swimming with their heads underwater to running across the surface when suddenly the entire flock will dive.  Where moments before a flock of ducks were swimming, only swirls on the water remain.  A few moments later heads will begin popping up some distance from where they dived and the search for fish will resume.

Many of the diving species such as the loons, horned grebes, pied-billed grebes, and redhead ducks will dive to evade intruders however while they dive to feed, the red-breasted merganser when pressed to closely take flight.

While the waterfowl migration is winding down the spring song bird migration is heating up.  Just this week I spotted my first hummingbird, cat bird, and spotted sandpiper for the season.

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Common Loon

Common Loon

Common Loons typically arrive in my area some time around late March to early April.  My first sighting this year occurred on April 14th.  That day I spotted two loons but they were boat-shy and repeatedly submerged while I was still about 100 yards distant; too far for good photographs with any lens.

However my luck changed April 20th when I spotted this lone loon hanging out near the breast wall of the lake.

Stretching its leg

The loon remained calm as I approached to within less than 30 yards.

Loon with eyes underwater

Soon the loon ducked its head underwater and began searching for a morning meal.  I have observed a number of fish-eating birds use this technique.   The loon cruised for a short while until it located a school of shad.

Shad fleeing the feeding loon

I was able to track the loons underwater movements by the eruptions of shad fleeing on the surface. 

Loon moments after surfacing from feeding

Repeatedly I tried to capture the loon as it surfaced but each time I was behind the curve.  The narrow field of view of the 600mm made following the fast paced action difficult.

In previous years I used a Canon 100-400mm lens for all of my boat/waterfowl shooting however this spring I have been using the 600 F4 almost exclusively.  The 600mm is nowhere nearly as handy as the little 100-400mm which can be shot handheld when light levels allow. The 600 is too heavy to support hand-held for long and I have resorted to setting the tripod on the front of the boat.  With a gimbal head it works well tracking swimming birds as long as the water is reasonably calm, however I have found it very difficult to operate the boat and track flying birds simultaneously.  Despite its drawbacks (weight & bulk) the superior range and sharpness of the 600 F4 IS is well worth the additional effort.

On The Move

 Last seen heading north in mid-May the Loons are now passing through on their way south

While on the water Thursday I noticed twin wakes cutting across the placid surface some distance away.  A quick peak through binos confirmed that a pair of feeding loons were causing the disturbance.  Unable to approach closely for portrait shots I was content with a more distant shot that included the reflection of the colorful autumn foliage.

Pied-billed Grebes are also among the waterbirds moving south for the winter

A Great Blue Heron watches stoically from a lake side log

The great blue herons however are in no hurry to move.  Instead they will remain as long as open water can be found.  A few birds will remain throughout the winter feeding along the spring-fed streams that remain ice-free.

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Loons: Two at a Time

Since I observed my first loon of the season back on March 18th I have observed at least one and as many as three during each of my lake visits.  This past Friday was no exception but what was different was that the two loons were swimming together.  Both loons were still displaying their non-breeding plumage. 

As both sexes of loons appear identical, at least to me, I have no idea whether this is a pair, siblings, or just a happenstance that they were together during this phase of the journey northward. 

I have noticed a great difference in individual birds when it comes to their tolerance of me and my boat.  Many loons will dive while I am still well out of camera range while others will allow me to approach slowly without showing undue concern.  This pair was watchful but not overly concerned about my presence as long as I moved slowly and maintained a respectful distance.  If loon migration continues to follow its normal pattern I will have 2-3 weeks yet before the last loons move on.

Our weather has been very erratic lately.  Friday the high temp was in the lower 30's F and just previous to this encounter a sleet storm piled up perhaps a quarter of an inch of accumulation in the boat.  By Sunday temps had risen to the mid 70's and Monday had reached into the 80's!  Both extremes are unseasonable for our region at this time of year.

The Loons Return

Earlier than expected, I encountered my first loon of the year this morning

Actually I was expecting to see the loon today as I had stopped by the lake on my way home from work yesterday and observed a lone loon swimming near the middle.  Normally I spot my first loons here during the first or second week of April.  Returning this morning before sunrise I launched the boat in anticipation of getting some "on the water" shots of migrating waterfowl.

I spotted the single loon shortly after sunrise I was pleased to see it swim close by a boat carrying fishermen.  I felt confidant that if it would approach them without concern that it should allow me to approach it within reasonable camera range.  After maneuvering the boat around to take advantage of a good lighting angle I made my approach.  The loon did not seem concerned with my presence, preening and resting for some time.  Finally after 15-20 minutes with me being very near, the loon stood and stretched its wings.

Another pose

Following a good stretch the loon looked me over and then resumed fishing as I moved on in search of other transient waterfowl.

The only thing missing from this morning's loon encounter was hearing the loon's lonesome call, not once during the morning did I hear this loon call!

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Looking Up

Looking Up

Another image from my Saturday encounter with the Bonaparte's Gulls

Activity in the middle of the lake drew my attention to two loons actively fishing

It was apparent that the loons still sporting their winter plumage had located a school of baitfish near the surface.  The birds were diving repeatedly and swimming near the surface as I could track their progress by the small fish jumping out of the water. 

Taking a short break between dives the loon eyes me closely.

I always look forward to the spring loon migration and enjoy watching and photographing them during the short time they spend in my area.  From past experience I expect this may be my last encounter for the year unless they are still around come next weekend.  Normally they move on by the middle of May.

Loon Encounter

 I had originally planned on arriving at the lake this morning before sunup but after staying up into the wee hours of the morning with a cow that was having problems delivering her calf; I instead chose to sleep a little longer delaying my arrival until 7:30.

At first I did not see any waterfowl activity. Shortly after beginning fishing I heard the familiar whoop of a loon. Looking towards the sun I spied a pair of loons in winter plumage gently gliding past. The backlighting created sparkles on the surface in each swirl of the loon's wake.

A few hours later as I approached a shallow shoal a loon popped to the surface

Obviously totally at ease with my presence, the loon swam with its eyes beneath the surface, a position that affords the bird an excellent view of the underwater environment.

During the course of the morning I encountered three loons, a flock of Lesser Scaup, two Mallard males, two Broad-winged Hawks, one Osprey, three Double-crested Cormorants, two unidentified Terns and one Great Blue Heron along with an assortment of songbirds.

Saturday Morning on the Lake

The strong cold front that passed through our area Friday evening dropped temps from near 80F into the 40’s by Saturday morning.

When I first checked the sky the stars were shining brightly but by daylight dark brooding clouds were crossing the sky, a sure sign that high winds were soon to come. I snapped this shot at a moment when sunlight was streaming through the clouds lighting the mountain top beyond the lake. Although the lake was calm at the moment it would not stay that way long.

I was pleased to find that a common loon was present. I have not observed the numbers of loons this spring that I have come to expect with only one present during each sighting. Previous sighting have been of birds in breeding plumage but this bird still retains its drab winter feathers.

Near noon an immature bald eagle soared past the lake. Staying high in the sky riding on the strong air currents it did not take it long to fly from horizon to horizon. I clicked this image mostly for identification purposes as golden eagle has been sighted in our area recently.

Loon Arrival

Each spring I anticipate the arrival of the Loons. They normally arrive in late March or early April and by mid May the last of them have moved on. Saturday morning, upon arriving at the lake, I heard the beautiful call of the Loon as I was readying the boat for launch.

Soon I spotted a solitary loon fishing in mid-lake. As light levels were still quite low I didn’t attempt to approach it; opting to wait until the morning sun light reached the lake.

After approaching a pair of Red-breasted Merganser in a sunlit portion of the lake I heard a commotion; a loud splashing of water and flapping of wings. Turning around I spotted the loon taking off with water flying high.

Once airborne the loon passed by me, circled and flew out of sight headed in a northerly direction

Injured Loon

Taking a break from the Whitetail Rut I decided to spend some time on the lake Saturday afternoon. Late in the afternoon I noticed a solitary loon swimming in circles, diving, and rising up to shake off repeatedly. Attempting to bring the boat within camera range the loon dived before I could get close enough for a good portrait but not before I was able to capture a few images.

Reviewing the images on the computer I became acutely aware of why this loon was acting so strangely, note the damage to its lower jaw in this heavily cropped image.

The cause of the image remains a mystery to me and I do hope the loon can have a full recovery.

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.

Return of the Loons

The light seeped slowly through the morning fog as I prepared to once again launch my little boat. I was a little disappointed with this morning's dreary weather and more disappointed when I arrived at the lake to find that a bass fishing tournament was in progress. The prospects of a morning of waterfowl photography could not have been much worse. As I was stowing my gear onboard through the fog came the distinctive beautiful call of a Loon. Once again the Loons have returned!

It was not until nearly noon that I encountered the loons and with all of the other boats present the loons were considerably disturbed and would not allow me to approach to within range.

For a closer look at a Common Loon I referred back to my 2008 archives and found this previously unposted image taken in late April. The Loons usually arrive here around the end of March and are gone by early May.


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A Rare Take-Off

A Loon creates a considerable commotion during take-off. The sunlight illuminating the loon and the flying spray against the dark background created what is one of my all-time favorite wildlife photographs.

Seldom have I witnessed Loons taking flight as they usually avoid intruders by quietly slipping under the water’s surface to reappear quite some distance away a couple of minutes later.

Shaking Off, Common Loon

A Loon, finished with fishing for the moment flaps its wings

I love watching the loons whenever I am on the lake. Most times they will be calmly sitting on the water closely observing their surroundings. Occasionally I have observed them intent upon fishing and at these times I can usually approach rather closely with the boat. This was the case on this day as the loon had located a large school of small fish and had been busily engaged while I made my approach.

After the school of fish disappeared, this Loon practically stood erect on the water shaking the water from its feathers. I like this shot not only for the subject but also the colors of the reflections on the water.

Common Loon

There is nothing common about the beautiful contrast and colors of the Common Loon.

Today I splashed my little boat for the first time this spring and took to the water in search of images. The air temp was 29 F this morning with a stiff North/North West breeze. This was my first attempt at photographing birds from the boat. Bobbing about in the small waves, driving the boat with a foot controlled electric motor, and trying to manipulate a 400mm lens all at the same time was quite a chore. Many of my shots ended in the recycle bin but there were enough keepers to make the morning more than a success.

This Loon allowed me to approach within about 30 yards. After I had shot about 40 images it tired of the game and dived. In a few minutes it resurfaced some distance away and I moved on in search of other subjects. The Osprey on my new header was another capture from this morning's boating excursion.

I will continue to post shots from our Florida trip interspersed with shots that I am currently capturing.