Loon Catching Fish
I spent 3 weeks making this image on film. I spent a summer (1997) conditioning a Common Loon family to my presence. The loons were comfortable enough to come towards me and when they came close enough I would release a fish and shoot with flash underwater.
Loon on a Foggy Morning
The haunting call of the Common Loon echoes out over the still lake in Northern Minnesota. This loon has a nest on this little island on Burntside Lake, near Ely, Minnesota.
Common Loon with Chicks
This Loon is sheltering one chick under its left wing, and another is on the adult's back.
Loon and Chicks
Adult Common Loon with chick riding on its back. Another chick can be seen in front of the left wing--just the tip of the chick's beak can be seen.
Common Loon with two chicks. There is a chick hidden under the left wing of the adult. A careful look will show the beak of a chick in front of the left wing.
A Loon with two chicks on its back.
Common Loon with Chick
A Common Loon with its chick riding on its back.
A Loon with its chicks.
A Loon with its chicks. A nice reflection of this beautiful Loon with her chicks.
Common Loon with its two chicks. Both chicks are looking skyward, probably at a raptor like a Bald Eagle flying above.
Common Loon and Chicks
A Loon with her two chicks.
Common Loon and Hungry Chicks
A Loon just at feeding time! The Loons dive to catch small fish to feed the chicks.
Common Loon Feeding Chick
The adult Loons dive to catch fish to feed to the young chicks.
Common Loon Wing Flap
After preening, the Loons will rise up and flap their wings.
After preening, the Loon will usually flap its wings while rising up out of the water.
Common Loon
This Loon has just had its head under water looking for prey. As the Loon brought its head out of the water, I made the image.
Common Loon Feeding Chicks
The Loon adult is feeding a small fish to one of its chicks.
One of the chicks is on the adult Loon's back, while the other is floating in the water beside the adult. The safest place for the chicks at this age is on the adult's back as predators can strike from below.
The adult has just surfaced with food for its chick.
Common Loon Taking Off
Loons have their rear legs far back on their bodies, such that they cannot walk on land. They spend all their lives in water and are only on land immediately adjacent to the water to sit on their eggs. They need about 200-300 feet running on the water to take off.
Common Loon Sunset
Sunset over the lake with a single adult Loon in the foreground.
An adult Loon with its chicks.
A adult Loon with its yawning chick.
Adult Common Loon showing off its beautiful plumage and colors. The Loon is all black and white except for its red eye and the blue/green iridescence on its neck.
