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The Loon page is a bit of a ringer... while the Great Northern Loon (or Common Loon) can be found off the California coast, especially in Morro Bay, San Simeon Bay, Monterey Bay and further north, these were taken in Wolfeboro Bay, New Hampshire and are in the Sepulveda Wildlife Refuge section so they would not get lonely if they were placed in a section all by themselves. This page contains 50 images of Common Loons in non-breeding plumage and molting to their breeding plumage, taken in early October in Wolfeboro Bay and the Back Bay.
Click an image to open a larger version. Use your back button to return to this page.
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Coots and Grebes Cormorants Ducks and Geese
Egrets and Herons Hummingbirds Common Loon
Pelicans Phoebes and Blackbirds Raptors Assorted Wildlife
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The Banner below leads to the Wildlife Collection where a Gallery can be selected.
Direct Link:
Loon
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Common Loon Display X1753c
A Common Loon in non-breeding plumage displays in the late afternoon in October on Wolfeboro Bay, NH.
The Common Loon (or Great Northern Loon) is a large member of the diver family and in Eurasia is called the Great Northern Diver. The current name of Great Northern Loon is a compromise between the two names which was proposed by the International Ornithological Committee. It is one of five loon species and is a close relative of the Yellow-Billed Loon (White-Billed Diver). Loons are called divers because of their tendency to swim calmly over the surface of the water and abruptly dive for fish. The name Loon derived from their clumsiness on land.
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Common Loon Display X1755c
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Common Loon Display X1756c
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A Common Loon rears up and flaps its gull-shaped wings in display on Wolfeboro Bay in New Hampshire.
Common Loon Display X1757c
A Common Loon in non-breeding plumage flips water off its bill while displaying on Wolfeboro Bay, NH. Non-breeding plumage is brownish, with the chin, throat and foreneck white. In breeding plumage the Loon has a black head, chin and throat. Male and female Loons have identical plumage and a dagger-shaped bill.
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Common Loon Display X1758c
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Common Loon Display X1759c
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Common Loon Display X1753-58 XL
A 1500 x 1184 version of the XL Composite (3205 x 2530) showing a Common Loon (Great Northern Loon) displaying on Wolfeboro Bay, NH in the late afternoon in early October.
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Common Loon Display X1752-59 XXL
A 1600 x 631 version of the XXL Composite (6415 x 2530) showing a Common Loon (Great Northern Loon) displaying on Wolfeboro Bay, NH in the late afternoon in early October.
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The Banner below leads to the Wildlife Collection where a Gallery can be selected.
Direct Link:
Loon
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Common Loon X1767c
A non-breeding Common Loon swimming on Wolfeboro Bay, NH, just prior to a display sequence. The loon swims with its belly submerged, propelling itself with its large webbed feet. Their legs are located far back on the body, making them awkward on land, which they avoid except for nesting.
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Common Loon Display X1775c
A Common Loon in non-breeding plumage raises its wings to begin its display sequence. The bill of the non-breeding Loon is blue-gray, and as you will see further below in the images of the Loons molting from their breeding plumage, their bill is black during the breeding season.
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Common Loon Display X1778c
A Common Loon poses with one wing extended at the beginning of a display sequence on Wolfeboro Bay. The wings of the Loon are short and rounded, but generally gull-shaped, and they are strong and rapid fliers.
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Common Loon Display X1779c
A Common Loon raises its body out of the water and extends its wings in display on Wolfeboro Bay, NH.
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Common Loon Display X1780c
The body is raised high out of the water and the head comes forward as the wings are fully extended.
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Common Loon Display X1781c
A Common Loon paddles its large webbed feet madly to keep its body raised out of the water as it begins to flap its wings during a display on Wolfeboro Bay, NH in the late afternoon in early October.
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Common Loon Display X1782c
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Common Loon Display X1784c
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Common Loon Display X1778-81 XXL
A 1500 x 1032 version of the XXL Composite (4933 x 3394) showing a Common Loon (Great Northern Loon) displaying on Wolfeboro Bay, NH in the late afternoon in early October.
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Common Loon Display X1775-88 SXXL
A 1600 x 550 version of the SXXL Composite (9871 x 3394) showing a Common Loon (Great Northern Loon) displaying on Wolfeboro Bay, NH in the late afternoon in early October.
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The Banner below leads to the Wildlife Collection where a Gallery can be selected.
Direct Link:
Loon
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Common Loon Display X1826
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Common Loon Display X1828
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A rear view of a Common Loon beginning a late afternoon display on Wolfeboro Bay in New Hampshire.
Common Loon Display X1830
The loon raises its body out of the water, flaps its wings and spins its head rapidly, flicking water off its bill.
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Common Loon Display X1831
This loon is further along in its molt from breeding plumage to non-breeding plumage than the birds shown in the next section. Note that the throat has nearly turned white and the gray has intruded over half of the bill, displacing the black of the breeding bill over the rear half. Also, note the white on the back. Juveniles and young loons have more white on the back and head than mature loons, as does this individual.
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Common Loon Display X1832
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Common Loon Display X1834
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A Common Loon completes its late afternoon display on Wolfeboro Bay, New Hampshire in early October.
Common Loon Display X1826-34 SXXL
A 1600 x 729 version of the SXXL Composite (9010 x 4104) showing a Common Loon (Great Northern Loon) displaying on Wolfeboro Bay, NH in the late afternoon in early October.
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The Banner below leads to the Wildlife Collection where a Gallery can be selected.
Direct Link:
Loon
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Common Loon X1853
A Common Loon just beginning to molt from breeding plumage to non-breeding plumage. The bill is still completely black and the white feathers are just beginning to intrude on the throat.
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Common Loon X1797
On this loon, in roughly the same state of molt, some areas of the black bill surface look to be chipping off. The Common Loon is a rather heavy bird (3.5 to 18 pounds, average about 9 lbs), and swims low in the water.
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Common Loon X1804
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Common Loon X1809
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Common Loon X1810 16x9c
A Common Loon molting from breeding to non-breeding plumage, in the late afternoon on Wolfeboro Bay, NH.
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Common Loon X1813
White feathers are just beginning to intrude on the cheeks, and a small area on the lower bill near the tip is beginning to lose its dark surface layer. Note how low in the water the loon swims.
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Common Loon X1814
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Common Loon X1816
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Common Loon X1816c
A detail crop of a Common Loon molting from breeding to non-breeding plumage. Several images were taken of this loon and others shown below to render different presentations of the head of the loon against the highly figured surface of the water.
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The Banner below leads to the Wildlife Collection where a Gallery can be selected.
Direct Link:
Loon
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Common Loon X1870
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Common Loon X1883
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Common Loons further along in the process of molting from breeding to non-breeding plumage. Note the greater area of the cheeks and throat which are now covered with white feathers, and the larger area of the bill which has lightened. These were difficult exposures (cheeks are overexposed).
Common Loons X1899
Three Common Loons on Wolfeboro Bay in different stages of molting from their breeding to non-breeding plumage. The furthest individual is just beginning to molt, and the two closer individuals are farther along in the process (larger white patches).
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Common Loon X1911
The first of a series of images of a molting Common Loon on beautifully figured water in Wolfeboro Bay, New Hampshire just before sunset in early October. The throat is nearly covered with the white feathers of the non-breeding plumage, and the bill is nearly gray.
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Common Loon X1912
Several images were taken of this loon to depict different presentations of the bird against the exquisitely figured gold and green water and to allow slightly different exposures which ensured that this scene would be captured. A few of the shots were slightly overexposed.
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Common Loon X1916
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Common Loon X1922
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Common Loon X1932 16x9
A Common Loon molting from breeding to non-breeding plumage is captured on highly figured water on Wolfeboro Bay, New Hampshire, just before sunset in early October. Note the dark red eye of the loon.
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Common Loon X5777
A Common Loon beginning to molt from breeding to non-breeding plumage swims low in the waters of Wolfeboro Bay, New Hampshire in this image taken at sunset in early October.
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The Banner below leads to the Wildlife Collection where a Gallery can be selected.
Direct Link:
Loon
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Common Loon X1942
The first of a series of 300mm telephoto close portraits of a Common Loon in the process of molting from breeding plumage to non-breeding plumage, in the late afternoon in early October on nicely figured water in Wolfeboro Bay, New Hampshire. Notice the red eye.
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Common Loon X1945
The long warm rays of the setting sun illuminate the head and neck of this molting Common Loon. The surface of the bill has nearly turned gray, and the change from black to white feathers on the cheeks and throat is about three-quarters complete. This exposure is just barely over the edge. It is very difficult to maintain highlights on the white feathers without losing the detail in the back.
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Common Loon X1956
The first of a series of 300mm telephoto close portraits of the same Common Loon molting from breeding plumage to non-breeding plumage as he leaves the figured waters of Wolfeboro Bay for the smoother, deeper waters in the channel. Again, several images are offered of this loon.
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Common Loon X1958
Common Loons primarily feed on various fish, but they also eat crustaceans, amphibians and other animals. They also eat some aquatic vegetation and algae. They hunt by diving, sometimes as deep as 200 feet, but more often 12 to 30 feet. They also ingest small pebbles to aid in digestion of the harder parts of their prey.
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Common Loon X1962 16x9
A Common Loon molting from breeding to non-breeding plumage in the late afternoon on Wolfeboro Bay, NH.
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Common Loon X1966
The voice of the Loon varies from yodeling calls through a high-pitched whistle, and when disturbed the loon emits an alarm call that sounds like a sharp, quavering laugh. They also emit a long, eerie wailing call as a territorial signal, and a low pitched moaning sound as a contact call between adults and their young. Male loons also emit this low-pitched moan during mating. Their sounds are quite distinctive.
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Common Loon X1968
A Common Loon molting from breeding to non-breeding plumage in the late afternoon on Wolfeboro Bay, NH.
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The Banner below leads to the Wildlife Collection where a Gallery can be selected.
Direct Link:
Loon
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Click the Display Composite above to visit the Coots and Grebes page.
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Click the Display Composite above to visit the Cormorants page.
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Click the Display Composite above to visit the Ducks and Geese page.
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Click the Display Composite above to visit the Egrets and Herons page.
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Click the Display Composite above to visit the Hummingbirds page.
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Click the Display Composite above to visit the Pelicans page.
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Click the Display Composite above to visit the Phoebes and Blackbirds page.
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Click the Display Composite above to visit the Raptors page.
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Click the Display Composite above to visit the Assorted Wildlife page.
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