Common Loon Archives • PAUL ROEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

IMG 3335 - Loon Watching In Algonquin Provincial Park — **Having the opportunity to see and photograph the Common Loon more frequently was one of my deciding factors for moving north this summer.**

I can’t think of a bird more iconic to Canada’s wilderness than the Common Loon. Breeding in every province and all three territories, loons truly are Canadian. When I decided to move north for the season, the Common Loon was one species I hoped to see and photograph more. So far this season, I have not been disappointed as I have had my fair share of encounters with loons. Most of my loon watching has been done from the water in my Swift Pack Boat paddling many lakes in Algonquin Provincial Park as well as a few outside the park. So far, every lake I have paddled (and I’ve paddled quite a few now) has revealed at least one loon.

IMG 1733 - Loon Watching In Algonquin Provincial Park

IMG 1732 - Loon Watching In Algonquin Provincial Park — **Capturing a series of shots of a loon setting its wings was something I have always dreamed of.**

Interestingly, most of the loons I have come across have shown little to no fear of me and have ventured closer on their own as if almost curious by my presence. This has resulted in some incredible views of these beautiful birds. Some birds have been within a paddle length of my boat and I’ve even been able to watch them swim underwater after they dive.

IMG 3110 - Loon Watching In Algonquin Provincial Park — **Common Loon incubating an egg on a nest.**

Some of the lakes I’ve paddled have resulted in the sighting of baby loons. Not wanting to stress out the adults, I have left considerable space between me and these birds and have been happy to watch from a respectable distance. While driving along a backroad, I could see an adult loon sitting on a nest only a few metres from the road. The legs of a loon are located far back on their bodies making them excellent divers but being chest heavy they cannot move well on land. Consequently, loons construct nests close to water where dead plant matter is formed into a mound where the female with lay one to two eggs.

IMG 3185 - Loon Watching In Algonquin Provincial Park — This single egg was the only one present in a loon nest found in a back bay of a lake in Algonquin Park. Please note, this image was taken from a road a respectable distance from the nest and I quickly moved on after taking the shot.

Photographing loons or any species from my pack boat proves to be a real challenge given that not only is the subject moving but I too am regularly drifting with the wind. Often I find myself out of position for a shot due to the wind pointing me in a different direction than what I need to be facing. This means I have to adjust my entire boat and not just my body resulting in missed opportunities for photos. In other areas, I do carry a small collapsible anchor to prevent this but many of the lakes in Algonquin are quite deep and I would have to carry more anchor rope than feasible. Working with my shutter speed set to at least 1/1000 helps freeze the action if the loon or my boat is moving and slowing panning much like photographing a bird in flight is often required.

IMG 2018 Edit - Loon Watching In Algonquin Provincial Park — **Common Loon stretching its wings.**

As I paddle new lakes and familiarize myself with Algonquin Provincial Park, carrying a map with me has been incredibly helpful with navigation. I recently purchased a couple of maps, one is Algonquin Park Canoe Routes, which as the name suggests is specific to canoe routes and the other map is the Algonquin Provincial Park waterproof map. This map covers the park in great detail from east to west and is great for paddlers, hikers, cyclists, or anyone who visits the park. Showing campsites, canoe routes, trails, and even fishing spots this map is a must-have for park users. To protect these maps from the elements I keep them in a SealLine Map Case. This clear case allows me to easily read the map after folding it to the section of the park I’m paddling and placing it inside. Keeping the map in the case beside me for quick reference is super handy if I am unsure of where I am or which direction I need to go. I consider myself to have an excellent sense of direction but when venturing out on unfamiliar waters a map is a must-have.

IMG 3524 2 - Loon Watching In Algonquin Provincial Park — **I came across this baby loon while paddling the Madawaska River.**

One afternoon while paddling the Madawaska River, I came across a baby loon all by itself. With no parents in sight, it let our several soft little loon calls I assume to reunite with its parents. Realizing this young loon would have little chance of surviving without adults to care for it, this encounter was was a sad one for me. Fortunately, after posting the above photo on Facebook many of my followers informed me that they have observed adult loons leave their babies for hours at a time only to come back to them later. This new knowledge gave me hope that this cute little ball of fluff may eventually meet up with its parents later that afternoon.

IMG 3321 - Loon Watching In Algonquin Provincial Park — **Staying in the Algonquin area until sometime in October should afford me plenty more opportunities to photograph the Common Loon.**

I plan on many more days of loon watching in Algonquin Park. I hope to also put together a vlog featuring the various video clips I have captured of loon behaviour including their eerie calls. I look forward to sharing more images of the Common Loon in future blog posts as I continue to have more close encounters with this iconic bird.

Good birding,
Paul

Subscribe To My Blog

cl - Common Loon On The Thames River In Springbank Park — **This morning while walking in Springbank Park, I observed this Common Loon in winter plumage on the Thames River.**

Today started the same way many of my Sundays do, with a call from my Dad. Most weekends, my Dad and I try to meet for a walk somewhere and enjoy the various sights and sounds of nature while we catch up on each other’s week. This morning we decided on walking along the Thames River in Springbank Park. Those of you that have followed my blog for a while will know that this is one of my favourite locations to bird during the winter months. With an abundance of waterfowl, songbirds, and birds of prey, there is always something to see.

Our walk started out with us observing many of the usual species including Mallards, Canada Geese and a few American Black Ducks. Among the diving ducks present were small numbers of Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, and Common Merganser. Some of the more abundant songbirds present were Northern Cardinals, Black-capped Chickadees, and a large flock of American Robins calling from the trees along the near bank of the river. Many of these birds could also be observed foraging on the ground in area where melting snow was running down the bank into the river. A lone Red-tailed Hawk was observed as it left its perch from high in a tree and soared out over the river.

All in all it was a pretty typical walk for us along the Thames River with a nice variety of birds, ones that we would expect to see at this time of year. As we made our way further through the park, just upstream from the old pump house, a large bird in the middle of the river caught my eye. After stopping to take a closer look, I could identify the bird as a Common Loon in winter plumage. This bird sat motionless as we watched it for several minutes. The whole time we watched, it never dove, and spent periods of time with its head under its wing.

Common Loons typically overwinter along the Atlantic Seaboard, with some birds overwintering on the Great Lakes, This is not a bird we would regularly see inland on the Thames River at this time of year. Common Loons; however, are known to make brief stops on inland bodies of water in our area during migration, so this particular bird may be late making its way south or early making its way north. Another possibility is that with the cold weather this past week, the area in which this Common Loon came from may have recently iced up.

I don’t imagine this bird will remain in the area for very long, so if you are interested in viewing it, I would try to get to the river as soon as you can. The closest access to this bird is from the park’s easternmost parking lot (the one nearest Wonderland Road). From the parking lot there is a set of stairs leading to the pathway adjacent the river. These stairs are not maintained during winter months, so exercise caution if using them. After reaching the path, walk slightly downstream towards the old pump house. When I left the park, this bird was still visible at this location in the middle of the river.

Good birding,
Paul