This isn’t much more than a documentary photo but to me it’s special.
Loons have a special place in my heart but until today I’ve never posted a photo of one to Feathered Photography. Even though they migrate through Utah every year I’ve never been close enough to one to get even a marginally decent photo. Around here during migration they seem to spend all of their time out in the middle of large lakes and reservoirs where I can’t approach them.
1/6400, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
But yesterday morning we found this one on the Bear River instead of a reservoir so at first ‘he’ was close enough for some acceptable documentary photos. I got a fair number of shots of him but he was spooky so he kept diving or swimming away and few of my other photos were as detailed as this one.
Back in the 80’s my wife (girlfriend at the time) and I embarked on what we considered to be the trip of a lifetime – a leisurely camping trip all the way to Alaska and back. Our intention was to drive to Prince Rupert in northwest British Columbia and take the ferry from there to Alaska where we’d explore as much of that spectacular state as time allowed before driving home via the Alcan Highway. In those pre-internet days I spent months researching the trip and some of the literature they sent me said I wouldn’t need reservations for the ferry at Prince Rupert.
So you can imagine our extreme disappointment (understatement) when we arrived in Prince Rupert and discovered that reservations for the ferry actually were required if you had a vehicle. By that time we didn’t have time to backtrack and drive all the way back to the road that would take us to Alaska so we tucked our tails between our legs and headed east to find some kind of out of the way lake where we could camp for a week or ten days and lick our wounds.
We chose the Babine Lake/Pinkut Lake area which turned disaster into triumph. It was wild country and we nearly always had pristine Pinkut Lake to ourselves. Mornings and evenings on the lake in particular were truly magical and one of the many things that made it so was the calls of the numerous loons on the lake. Their haunting tremolos, yodels and wails wafting across the still water would make my hair stand on end (I had hair back in those days). The calls of the loons made our time on the lake truly unforgettable. I’m guessing that loons don’t typically call during migration because I’ve never heard them here in Utah.
I’ll never, ever forget that trip and the loons are a big reason why. I’m incredibly jealous of some of my readers who often hear loons and see them in breeding plumage.
Ron
My husband and I did the exact trip you described: boarded the ferry (with our truck and camping gear) at Prince Rupert and rode the ferries every few days to as many of the SE towns that we could reach. Ended up in Denali for ten cloudless days, watching the tundra turn into stunning fall colors, then drove the Alcan home. It was a three-month trip in 1991, and a lifetime of memories.
Sounds like everything worked out perfectly with your trip, Buff. Wish I could say the same.
Wonderful photo…reminds me of one of the best nights ever…sleeping in a sleeping bag on a relative’s screened sun porch, over looking a lake, being lullabied to sleep by a chorus of bull frogs and the tremulos of loons…bliss!
A loon once took an ill-advised shortcut and ended up in Denver. It causes quite a bit of excitement. I never saw it other than some photos in the paper. : D
I guess I didn’t realize a loon in Denver would be quite that unusual.
Nice find! When I see loons they are in the middle of reservoirs, way too far for my lens. I do wish they were here more. Your trip sounds wonderful despite the detour.
Thanks, April. That was the best camping trip I’ve ever been on and I’ve been on a few. Just wish I had my big lens back then for birds and wildlife.
I am so glad that you were able to turn that major disappointment round, and didn’t let it destroy your trip. I have read about loons, and even heard recordings of their calls but (of course) never seen them.
I really, really like your documentary shot.
Thank you, EC.
I’d say that this is much more than just a “documentary” shot, Ron. 🙂 The reflection of the loon’s head in the water reminds me of the way film editors will segue to a flashback scene. So this shot is the perfect illustration for your memorable story in more ways than one!
And it’s never too late to plan a trip to AK!
Marty, with my bad back I think AK is now out of the question. I’m lucky to even make it to MT these days.
How exciting. Sort of a lifer for you, photographically speaking. Of course, they are common here in the Salish Sea in winter, and also commonly far out on the water. So we have something in common there.
Lyle, looking at their range map I was surprised by how far north on the pacific coast area they winter.
We have loons on a few of our lakes during the summer months (I live in rural Okanogan County, Washington State) — their songs are amazing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQU-0yHVu_4 I’ve tried numerous times to get good photographs, but they seem to spend all their time at the far side of the lake, or under water. I have tons of crappy photos! LOL
I know what you mean about crappy photos of them, Karen. Before this bird the best photos I got were at Flaming Gorge but they were so low quality I don’t even think I saved them.
Lovely photo! Hope you do make it to Alaska Ron – and take your time with it. The state is HUGE and it’s a wonderland for wildlife lovers. Also very dangerous because of the bears and moose. Feel incredibly fortunate to have grown up there, and also fortunate to spend my adult life in Arizona. Such a contract of experiences! So enjoy reading your blog each morning 🙂 Thank you!
Thanks, Kathleen. Yes, Alaska to Arizona must be a huge contrast for you.
I’m envious, in a GOOD way of course. I’m delighted that you have that in your memory, but I’ve never been in a place to hear loons. I’ve only heard recordings. Wondrous, even in recordings, but…
Yesterday’s leucistic redtail was splendid, too! My local neighborhood redtails put on a show last night as the sun set. That color of sunlight filtered through those glorious red tail feathers happened for a flash. BLESSED to see that! Also blessed to spend some outside time watching their pre-sundown flights! Nature, ahhhhh!
Delighted to hear you’re going outside now, Laura. That must mean you’re really on the mend.
Sadly, no. Two-month x-ray checkup shows no real healing activity at the edges. I’m bummed to say the least! If third-month checkup is the same, insurance will then pay for electronic stimulation therapy. But I’m sorta scared to death about this whole idea right now. Hoping my vet/falconer friends will chime in with some ideas. I trust vets far more than I trust human doctors!! BUT I’m also a stubborn old hag, I NEEDED to get outside and I made it happen! There’s a doable pathway through the garage. Then, there was the redtail treat, so that soothed my soul along with a hearty Jamieson! The heart and soul of redtails are healing, along with my dogs and friends.
Dammitall, I’m very sorry to hear that, Laura. It’s about time you had a break of the good kind.
I am so very sorry to read this Laura. And of course you NEEDED to get out – and I am glad that you made it happen.
That IS a wonderful memory. 😀 I’ve never seen or heard them other than on TV. Wonderful to be able to take that kind of time, even with what turned out to be a great detour……..😀
Thanks, Judy. It’s big country up there with relatively few roads – lots of driving for almost any kind of a detour.
What a lovely memory! Bob (husband) and his father took a car and ferry trip to Alaska in 1983. They had a good time, but it was not nearly the wild and wonderful experience you had. Because of both my f-i-l’s age, and the fact they wanted to go to so many places, they were much more tied to the car than you. They took the bus into Denali, and that supplied them some wonderful memories. Still, I’ve never regretted staying at home.
Nancy, since that trip I’ve always thought that it’s very possible we had a better time in BC than we’d have had in AK. I do regret not seeing AK though.
What a wonderful experience you describe ! I’ve often found that MISadventures ( like being forced to take a detour from one’s plans )
often brings wonderful surprises like the one you had . AND, I had no
idea that loons migrate through Utah–where are they headed when they
journey south ?
Kris, a lot of them winter on the pacific coast and down into Baja.
Great memory, Ron, and it brought back one of mine. In 1986, my (then) teenaged son, Alex, and I took a 35-day camping trip in our pop-top VW camper. Alex slept in the tent top “upper”, and I slept below. That means he could hear sounds that I could not. One night, we camped next to a small lake in British Columbia. I was just falling asleep when I heard “Dad, there’s something strange out there on the lake”. “It’s really weird, Dad”. Alex repeated this several times. Long story short, but the “something strange” was a loon calling. We got out of the camper so we could enjoy the sounds and created a lifelong father-son memory. Thanks for today’s image, and for stimulating my mental image as well. Cheers, Dick
That call in a setting like that is truly unforgettable isn’t it Dick. I believe ’86 was about the time of our trip too so who knows, maybe we crossed paths. Next time I’ll wave as I encounter you on the road. 🙂
Yes, the haunting calls are worth the drive anywhere. In fact sitting and watching their movements is a joy…the diving and wondering where they will surface, especially with food for the youngster is pure pleasure one never gets tired of.
Kathy, I always marvel at how close to loons some photographers are able to get, especially when they have chicks.
Neat story Ron. Murphy must have been following you regarding the ferry. But just yesterday at our Goldwater Lake I was taking photos of a lone Common Loon. I took photos of one by itself at the same place last year so I would assume it is the very same one. They are very uncommon visitors here so I had a friend post it on our Prescott eBird.
Everett, needing reservations for the ferry was one of the major disappointments of my life but it’s amazing how well things turned out. The epitome of making lemonade out of lemons.