Common Loon

I was excited to see my first loon. 

Judy and I had flown into Toronto, Ontario, Canada where I had a work engagement. Afterwards we drove nearly 175 miles northeast of Toronto to near the tip of the Bruce Peninsula that juts into Lake Huron and creates Georgian Bay. There we entered Bruce Peninsula National Park which is part of UNESCO's Niagara Escarpment World Biosphere Reserve and took a loop trail hike to see the Grotto. 

We hiked in on the Horse Lake Trail and got our first look at Georgian Bay, part of Lake Huron. 

Judy at Georgian Bay

Then we hiked up and over an escarpment and encountered the beautiful Indian Head Cove with unusual rock formations and transparent green water near the shore, then the Grotto. 

Indian Head Cove

Indian Head Cove

The Grotto

We hiked down to Boulder Beach then took the Marr Lake Trail back to the Head of Trails. 

Boulder Beach to the left as we go down the escarpment. 

Right near where Horse Lake and Cyprus Lake connect we looked through a clearing in the trees and caught a view of Cyprus Lake and a common loon floating on it near shore. I've seen enough loons on tv that I knew immediately what it was. 

Loon on Cyprus Lake.

The breeding plumage of the common loon includes a red eye with red iris, a black head and neck. The neck is encircled by a black ring and the lower central foreneck is white. The lower neck sides have longitudinal white lines. The upper parts are black or black/gray and each feather has white spots on it. 

Common loon

Judy says we heard it before we saw it, but I don't remember that. When I think of loons I think of the movie, On Golden Pond with Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda and Jane Fonda. Listen to them on this Youtube video. I hear that and I want to go back and wait and listen. Such an iconic sound, kind of haunting like a bugling elk. 

A perfect way to end a beautiful hike.