Call of the Loons

As many of you have seen in my photographs, Lake Groton is a beautiful place...  serene and peaceful at times... yet, like a big playground sounding more like a crowded beach at other times.  What I cannot convey in my photographs, however, is how Lake Groton sounds.

I was sitting at my desk which is in a corner of the living room facing out two walls of windows overlooking the lake.  The sun was beginning to set...   the temperature was dropping...  the lake was calm and reflecting the colorful sky...  the fish, as far as the eye could see, were beginning to jump in their attempts to gobble up insects on the surface of the water...  if you looked high in the sky, it was almost nighttime and dark...  as the eye approached the horizon, the colors changed from deep blue to bright orange to bright yellow...   and you could hear the distinctive haunting echoes of loon calls all around the lake.

My desk was home to my netbook which is where I upload and review all my photographs and videos from the day's activities.  This is also where I kept all my photography gear...  lined up and ready to be grabbed in an instant so I could capture the next photographic opportunity.

As I was sitting there looking out the windows, cold beer in hand while watching the sun set and listening to the haunting calls of loons, I realized that I could capture this scene...  including the call of the loons!  Right in front of me, on my desk, was my little Canon compact camera which I use exclusively for HD video.  I grabbed the camera, safely tucked my refreshing beer between the inside of my forearm and my abdomen, and headed out the door to the deck.

Although I knew video was the best medium for this type of capture, I wasn't sure my little Canon compact camera was up to the task.  After all, the loons were far off...  there are a lot of sounds on a lake so I wasn't even sure we would be able to hear the loons on the video over other nearby sounds...  and I was concerned about whether or not the loons would cooperate with me this evening once I set up the camera.  I was beginning to think that with my luck, I would set up the camera as steady as I could, hit the 'play' button, and then the loons would go quiet...

Searching for dinner...

After carefully positioning and steadying the little camera on the deck's railing, I carefully depressed the 'play' button...

And, almost as if on cue, the loons again continued their haunting calls echoing across the lake for all to hear.   "Hmmmm...  this might work after all!"

The only problem was that I could not see a thing in the tiny LCD on the back of the camera.  The setting sun was directly in front of my camera...  the LCD was too small...  my old eyes can't focus on anything up close, especially small things...  I was shooting blind.

At one point, I was able to pick out where a loon was located on the opposite side of the lake but I could not see the loon on the tiny LCD display.  I took my chances and zoomed in on the direction of the sound anyway...   I found him!  I zoomed more...  and more...  it was difficult keeping the video steady being zoomed to such a high magnification, but there was a loon on my LCD screen and he was all the way across the lake!

I still could not see much of anything in the LCD...  I was just guessing on where to point the camera.  As a result, I accidentally turned the camera away from the loon just as we begin to see the distinctive wing flap.  You can catch the beginning of it on the video though so it was not a complete loss.

Loons vocalize in four patterns:  yodels, wails, tremolos, and hoots.  You should be able to hear yodels, wails and tremolos in this video.  These haunting calls continue through most nights on the lake...  echoing from shore to shore, from mountain to mountain. 

About 35 years ago, the number of loon breeding pairs in Vermont dropped to only seven pairs.  The entire State of Vermont had only 29 adult loons at that time.  The loons were placed on the Endangered Species List and the Vermont Loon Recovery Program was launched.

Since 2007, over 60 loon pairs have attempted to nest.  As best as I can tell in reports found online, there are still less than 300 loons in all of Vermont.

There is a resident of Lake Groton, Darlene Sprague, who monitors, files reports and manages the Lake Groton breeding areas for the loons.  I don't know where she finds the time and energy for this, but it seems as though she enjoys it immensely.  It is also worth mentioning that her efforts seem to have had a positive influence on the numbers of loons found not only at Lake Groton, but statewide.  Darlene Sprague should be commended for all of her diligent and hard work.

Here is Darlene Sprague's 2012 Loon Report for Lake Groton:

2012 Loon Report

Groton Pond

South End Loons

The pair of loons nested later than usual, in June. About one week later, the pair abandoned the nest. I could not find any eggs or traces of eggshells. Received reports of people seeing an eagle in the general vicinity several times. Conclusion is that something obviously happened to the eggs, the loons may have been harassed by the eagle enough so that they might have left the nest unattended for too long, and a predator took the eggs... The loons did not attempt to re-nest. 


North End Loons

The North pair nested later than usual also in June. They left the nest within a few days after nesting. There were no eggs found in the nest, but eggshell fragments were found nearby and someone witnessed some commotion involving ravens or crows in the area where the shell fragments were found. The conclusion was that the birds robbed the nest and removed and broke or devoured the eggs. The loons did not attempt to re-nest. Results, no chicks.

We all enjoy the adult loons and listen to their songs, but many mentioned they missed seeing loon chicks on the pond. They are definitely one of the highlights of summer here on Groton pond.

Hopefully the loons will have better luck in (2013) and raise a chick or two for all of us to watch grow up and enjoy.

Darlene Sprague
Season-long Volunteer
Vermont Loon Recovery Program

Success of breeding is difficult, at best.  Loon pairs are limited in a limited population...  loon pairs only produce one or two eggs (very rarely three)...  natural predators are abundant in Vermont...  varying water levels can hinder effective nesting...  human interaction can hinder breeding...  fishing line and lead sinkers cause loon deaths...  When we combine all of these factors, chances for successful breeding are severely diminished.

Vermont's loon population is still quite low and successful breeding is relatively rare.  It is a shame because these beautiful birds can be delightful and playful.  And, although their calls may sound haunting as they echo over the lake, I could not imagine the lake without these distinctive loon calls all through the night...   and playful loons swimming and diving alongside my kayak during the days.

If I listen closely and think of Lake Groton, I swear I can still hear those playful loons yodeling and wailing under the colorful sunset...