The Loony Tunes of Maine Lakes

If you have ever spent any time on a lake in Maine, then I am sure you are familiar with the sound of a loon call echoing across the lake. I would have to say that this is one of my favorite sounds in the world. It immediately transports me back to my childhood, when my family and I spent countless hours, and wonderful long summer days, at my family’s camp deep, in the Maine woods. There is nothing like falling asleep and waking up to the call of a loon.

If you haven’t heard this enchanting sound, then I encourage you to spend some time on a Maine lake. If you like kayaking, or fishing you might even be lucky enough to have one of these beautiful birds join you. They are great fishing buddies! They dive down to fish and you never know where they will resurface.

If one pops up close to you after diving for fish under the surface of the water, you may be surprised at how large these birds really are! The loons found in Maine are called Common Loons and can grow to be around two and half feet long, have expansive wing spans, and are heavier than other breeds of loon.

One of my other favorite things about loons is that a pair of loons mate for life and share in parenting duties. Male loons even help the mother loons sit on their eggs. Watching the fluffy baby loons riding on their parent’s backs in the spring time is always an adorable sight to see.

(A pair of loons I photographed on our honeymoon. My husband had a white and black kayak and this pair followed him everywhere he went for the week we were there. I followed the three of them with my camera. The other loon photos in this post are individual shots of the same two loons from our trip. We stayed at an adorable lakeside Air B&B called Lucky Loon Lodge. It is the perfect summer getaway featuring loons!)

Photographing loons is something I also enjoy. It is so relaxing to paddle around a lake in a kayak, watching the loons play and dive for food. I always use my long lens so I can keep my distance and enjoy them from afar.

If you haven’t see a loon or heard their call across a lake before, it is a great thing to add to your Maine summer bucket list!