Photo Study Of Common Loons At Barnegat Jetty, March 24th, 2010

    Last week, Barnegat Inlet hosted Loons, Harlequin Ducks, Long-tailed Ducks, Scoters, Sandpipers and Common Eiders. Yesterday, proved that the front going through earlier this week sent everything
    except the Loons, the Long-tailed Ducks, some Brant, the usual Gulls and three lonely Harlequins on their annual trip back to their traditional breeding grounds. There were still about fifty Long-tailed Ducks     feeding along the jetty and  between 800 - 1000 Long-tails in a huge raft off the end of the jetty. The sight of all these ducks obviously staging for their migration northward was awesome.

    But for a picture taker, the day was saved by a bunch of Common Loons feeding actively close to the jetty. There were two adults in breeding plumage and seventeen adults in non-breeding plumage. The     Common Loon (Gavia immer) is a very large bird, 32 inches long with a 58 inch wingspan and weighs 9 pounds. It breeds in lakes across Canada and the very northern United States and winters in the
    United States in lakes as well as along both coasts.  The Common Loon is silent in winter, but in summer has a repertoire of sounds that haunt the lake or waterway with strange laughter-like calls, falsetto
    wails and strange yodeling. At night, the effect is absolutely mesmerizing. True to its reclusive and solitary nature, the Loon prefers a secluded lake or estuary. It is very territorial, normally with only one
    family to a small     body of water. This bird is an excellent swimmer and can stay underwater (diving to 90 feet) for long periods. On land, however, it is another story. Being much larger than most ducks,
    and with its feet well toward its tail, the Loon is extremely awkward and most vulnerable on land. As a result, the Loon nests as close to the water as possible, nearly throwing itself out of the nest and into
    the water. Graceful in the water and in flight, they are almost comical on take-offs and landings. Their size, solid bone structure and weight distribution result in thrashing water take-offs that can last
    hundreds of feet. The Loon's landing is not much more than a controlled crash-glide.

Young Adult (Two Years Old) Common Loon In Non-breeding Plumage

Adult (Three Years or Older) Common Loon in Breeding Plumage

Young Adult (Two Years Old) Common Loon In Non-breeding Plumage

Young Adult (Two Years Old) Common Loon Eating Crab

Adult Common Loon in Breeding Plumage

Young Adult (Two Years Old) Common Loon Stretches Wings

    To see a larger image of the birds below, please click on either the thumbnails or the captions...thanks!

     © Howard B. Eskin 2010           Please email your comments to hbeskin@voicenet.com     Please click here to go back to Bird Webpage Index