Photos & Video
by Great Island Photography
It has been reported that there has not been a successful breeding pair of loons or successfully hatched loon chicks on Lake Sunapee for some 40 years. This record has at last been broken.
A pair of loons has two chicks that we’ve been watching for about two weeks now, living in the Burkehaven Lighthouse/Fisher’s Bay area. There are safety signs posted to alert boaters to take care and watch for the chicks who are still very small and hard to spot if you are not looking for them.
The Great Northern or Common Loon is of the species of water birds called divers and are known as great fishers. Their nearest relative is the penguin. They are capable of diving as much as 200 feet and staying under water as long as three minutes.
Their beautiful haunting wail, heard often on the lake, is a call to communicate location to chicks and other loons. The tremolo or “laughing call’, a call of complicated wavering notes, is a cry of alarm or distress or to communicate with new loons on the lake. The gentle “hoot” is heard only between family members, often by adults to summon chicks to feed.
We plan on following the growth of the chicks throughout the summer and autumn. You can visit our YouTube channel to see videos. Visit our website gallery to view photos and order prints.
Also by Great Island Photography: Lake Sunapee Photography