Common Loon

One afternoon last week I was stalking a loon down at Cap Sante Marina.  The loon, which I assume to be a Common loon, has been hanging around the marina for several weeks now, ever since there was a break in a dock construction project.  I was there in the afternoon because the lighting was better for the location where the loon usually is and the location from where I planned to take photos.  But you know what they say about the best laid plans! 

When I arrived at the marina the loon was not in its usual location.  By driving down the row of boat docks I finally found it (or maybe I should say 'one'), so I parked the car and started my journey out to the end of the long dock with my heavy camera, lens and monopod.  The boats prevented me from looking down the waterway between docks, and when I neared the end of the dock I hadn't encountered the loon... but I saw one out in the main body of water at least 200 yards distant.  I was not happy! 

I trudged back to my car and decided to drive to the other side of the marina to see if I could intercept it.  When I arrived I spied the loon... it was about halfway out another dock.  I had a choice of which dock to walk out and fortunately made the right choice.  By the time I arrived at the loon's approximate last location it was nowhere to be seen.  I walked over to the other side of the dock and there it was, in an empty slip on yet another dock over.  Now I was really discouraged!  I had walked probably the better part of a half-mile with my camera and monopod and the loon was again out of range. 

As I watched the loon it began hunting and with each dive it grew closer.  I positioned myself behind one of the posts used to anchor the docks but it was aware of me and would give me a stare each time it surfaced.  It gradually worked itself over towards me.  At one point it appeared to bring up a crab about as big as my hand but it dropped it.  It finally approached to where it nearly filled the frame of my 400mm lens and I managed several photos, one of which appears below. 

At one point in its fishing it brought something else up from one of its dives and I realized I had an opportunity for a photo with something in the loon's beak.  I quickly pointed my camera and snapped a photo but realized as I viewed the photo that a gull had swooped down and taken the fish, or whatever it was, from the loon.  Considering the size and sturdiness of the loon's bill I decided that maneuver must have taken some courage.  So the photo I got was not the loon with some seafood morsel in it's mouth, but the splash the loon made as it submerged and the gull flying away with the loon's food! 

You might want to click on the image to enlarge it.