By: musicianonskis
Tags: Common Loon
Category: birds, Lac Champagneur, Summer, Swimming
| Aperture: | f/5.5 |
|---|---|
| Focal Length: | 25mm |
| ISO: | 80 |
| Shutter: | 1/320 sec |
| Camera: | PENTAX Optio W90 |
Close Encounters of the Loon Kind: Anyone who swims will know it is a solitary experience, lacking scenery (!), with your thoughts as your sole companion. Today however, when I reached my turn-around time, I noticed 5 (five!) loons curiously watching me from a distance. As I drifted and watched, they came closer until they were at eye level, about 10 feet away! All the while they appeared to be floating casually, hooting quietly to each other. It was a bit eerie (did you know that in territorial wars a loon may attack another loon from underneath, spearing it with its beak?), but absolutely thrilling!
Lac Champagneur is a relatively small lake and usually supports one breeding pair of loons. This year, though, there are no chicks, and the lake seems to be hosting a loon convention.
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What a great experience!! I absolutely love the name, but the plumage is something else. It is such a perfect combination of spots, stripes and glossy black, and looks to have been painted on. I have really enjoyed this series of photographs, especially the runway shot.
We love these birds so much, they are even on our $1 coin. Their haunting calls are unforgettable. If you haven’t heard them, you can check their many calls out at the Cornell Ornithology website, a fabulous bird reference. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/common_Loon/sounds