A split image featuring a close-up of a great blue heron on the left and a common loon taking off from water, creating a splash, on the right. both set against natural, blurred backgrounds.

Wildlife on a Maine Pond: New Series of Nature Photography Journals

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Ever since I started taking photos, I have loved photographing loons. They’ve given me countless hours of joy behind the lens, taught me lessons about photography and ecology, and helped me find the weak spots in cameras I’ve evaluated throughout my career.

The common loon is indeed an unusual bird

In Maine and throughout eastern North America, “loon” refers to the common loon (Gavia Mir), although there are other species of loons. The common loon, also known as the northern great loon in Eurasia and is part of its non-breeding range, averages about 28 inches (0.7 meters) in length and has a wingspan of up to 5 feet (1.27 meters).

A common loon with striking black-and-white plumage, its red eyes standing out, swims on a tranquil golden lake.
A common loon (Gavia Mir) In mid-April 2024, weeks after arriving inland from the Atlantic, it swam in a small pond in Maine.
In the black and white image, a loon spreads its wings and floats on a foggy lake, creating a perfect reflection in the calm water.
This older image of a loon spreading its wings, a common part of its regular preening process, shows the bird’s considerable wingspan.

They are also unusually heavy birds, weighing an average of 9 pounds (4.1 kilograms). A healthy adult male loon can weigh up to 14 pounds (6.4 kilograms). For reference, this is a very similar weight range to adult condors (bald eagle), with a wingspan nearly twice that of the common loon.

A majestic bald eagle perches on a tree branch, striking wings spread, against a backdrop of lush green foliage.
This vulture (bald eagle) is a common bird of prey found in ponds, lakes, rivers, and oceans in Maine. Maine’s bald eagle population has increased significantly over the past 50 years due to increased environmental protections. In 1972, there were an estimated 29 pairs of nesting birds in Maine, up from more than 1,000 pairs in the previous century. A regular survey in 2018 showed that the bird’s nesting population exceeded 800 pairs, exceeding the total population in the entire United States in 1972 when the bird was declared endangered. But it’s not good news for the United States as a whole.

A big reason for the loon’s density is its bones. While most birds have hollow bones, much of the loon’s skeletal structure is solid. These make the birds less buoyant, making them more skilled swimmers and divers.

Not surprisingly, this aquatic adaptation makes loons particularly clumsy on land, so they are rarely seen walking. But despite their weight, they are excellent fliers – averaging about 75 miles per hour (121 kilometers per hour) during migration.

A loon with its wings fully spread takes off from the tranquil lake, splashing water and flying water droplets, showing a dynamic movement effect.
The common loon is clumsy on land but is an excellent swimmer, an unparalleled diver, and an extremely skilled flyer.

Their haunting calls herald the changing of the seasons

Speaking of migration, the common loon has become an iconic part of life in Maine in part because its presence coincides with the seasons. The loon changes as the seasons change, both in its plumage and literally when it appears on lakes and ponds.

One of the most reliable signs of spring is the return of loons to inland waters and filling the crisp dawn and dusk air with their unique, haunting songs. As the birds build their nests and try to raise their chicks against daunting odds throughout the summer, their darkening plumage signals that winter is coming. If the pups survive, they will stay longer than their parents, but when the first snow arrives, they will also move toward the coast in search of non-freezing water.

A common loon with striking black and white plumage floats on the tranquil water beneath a gentle snowfall.
The loons are arriving a little early this year — the ice is especially early in Maine — but that doesn’t mean winter is completely over. It is very unusual to see a loon during a snowstorm on inland waters. In fact, in over 15 years, my father had never taken a photo of a loon during a snowstorm.

A common loon with striking red eyes appears on a cold lake, its black feathers dusted with light snowflakes against a blur of falling snow in the background.

This rhythmic annual cycle also means a lot to me personally, as “loon season” means wildlife photography opportunities will increase significantly. Winter in Maine has its charms, but by the time March and April roll around, I’m ready for it to be over. Dull grays and browns gave way to neon greens and yellows, and the animals reappeared. Things are not getting better.

What I’m doing: Part recording, part teaching, mostly learning

Which brings me to today’s new series, which will tell the photos and stories of a small pond in Maine. While the focus is primarily on the loons that live there—my father and I spent many summers photographing the family—I will also look at other ways the pond has evolved and the other creatures that call it home.

In a quiet marsh, a great blue heron stood in shallow water among tall dry grass, holding a fish in its mouth.
great blue heron (Herodias Ardea) is a very photogenic wading bird that we occasionally see in the ponds we frequent. It lives in most of North America and has different subspecies that look very similar and are found in specific areas of North America. There is even a subspecies, Ah Konyata, lives in the Galapagos Islands. I personally can’t see any difference between them, but I’m not an ornithologist.

Like the animals in the pond, this series will grow and change in unforeseen ways. It will serve primarily as a living document, published every two weeks until the loons make their way east to the Atlantic Ocean.

Two Canada geese fly over the lake, one slightly ahead of the other. Both are in mid-beat, wings raised, with trees and reeds in the background.
Canadian goose(branta canada) is another sign that spring is coming. Not all of them stick around for the summer, but it’s not uncommon to see dozens or even hundreds of them while boating in the spring in Maine.

A Canada goose takes off from a pond, wings spread, water droplets splashing, tall dry grass in the background.

While I plan to take many of the photos myself when I return to Maine, I will be relying on my father, Bruce, for many of the photos in this series. I consider myself a fairly dedicated photographer who is willing to get up at unpleasant hours to take great photos, but my dad is probably the hardest working person I know and that reflects in photography as well.

I prayed that the series would follow a pair of loon chicks from hatching to their first migration in the fall, but the presence of baby loons is dangerous.

A common loon, with a sleek black head and spotted body, floats in the calm water, carrying two fluffy brown chicks on its back. The bird's distinctive red eyes are striking.
This is one of my favorite loon photos in my archives. Unfortunately, we only had a few days to see these two chicks. However, one of them did survive the fall and migrate, an unusual achievement.

Close-up of a loon swimming on the water with its fluffy dark brown chick. The striking black and white patterned plumage of adult loons contrasts with the simple brown plumage of nestlings.

If a breeding pair builds a nest and lays eggs (which is expected), there will only be one or two eggs in the clutch. Because of the risks associated with loon nests, the generally difficult incubation process, and the large number of predators that loon chicks encounter after hatching, the average loon pair raises a chick every other year. Unfortunately, the odds were not in their favor. I desperately hope I don’t have to write that post in a few months.

Whatever happens, this project will provide ample opportunity to discuss biology, behavior, conservation, and photography—including tips for photographing from a kayak and adjusting the correct exposure and focus settings for photographing loons. Their black and white plumage is a real nuisance to even the best cameras.

The drama will be shot using OM-1 Mark II

Speaking of cameras, the series will also be a long and somewhat messy test of the OM System OM-1 Mark II, which will include various OM System lenses, especially the new 150-600mm f/5-6.3 IS, the longest Micro Four Thirds lens on the market.

Two common loons, with their black-and-white plumage and distinctive red eyes, float close together on the calm water. Their sleek black heads turned slightly towards each other.
Although we will focus on several ponds and associated waterways throughout the series, these two loons will be the main subjects. Loons are monogamous birds, although they rarely, if ever, mate for life. A breeding pair can stay together for an average of five to seven years. These two loons were successful parents last year so I have my fingers crossed that they will be successful again.
A loon with striking black and white plumage catches a fish, causing splashes in the calm water.
The new loons are certainly eating well so far this spring – if not a little messy.

While I hope to share useful information for other wildlife photography enthusiasts through my experience of hundreds or even thousands of hours photographing ponds, I also hope that studying different topics will allow me to learn more about loons and other Animals that I like very much.

See you next time when I focus on ethical and responsible wildlife photography, including tips on using long lenses and knowing appropriate viewing distances to always keep animals safe and undisturbed.

Image Source: Photos by Jeremy Gray and Bruce Gray

#Wildlife #Maine #Pond #Series #Nature #Photography #Journals
Image Source : petapixel.com

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