This video was taken on Forked Lake in the Adirondacks of northern New York during a camping trip in 2005. The call of the Common Loon is an eerie, but beautiful sound.
The Adirondacks have had my heart the fist time I went there with my family when I was a small boy. God willing, I'll have my own cabin on the water one day and be able to wake up to this gorgeous serenade
I grew up in northern Minnesota, currently down in Missouri. The two things I miss most are snowmobiling and the loons. For those that have not heard them, this recording only captures about 10% of the feeling in person. So incredibly beautiful and eerie at the same time. Especially at dusk on a glass lake.
One of my favorite birds of North America...their flute like songs touch me in a deep and profound way. Wish we were able to see and hear them more where I live here in the southeast. Thanks for sharing! :)
That's for sure. I'll never forget the first time I heard it. I had no idea what it was. Then when I saw my first loon I was hooked. They are my favorite bird! I just wish I lived close enough to the Adirondacks to hear them every day (well, until they fly south for the winter, that is).
That's what's nice about kayaking....you can get close to them. We've sat in our kayaks and drifted when we know they are feeding nearby. They've come up right next to us a number of times. What is really cool is when they have the babies out there for fishing practice. Amazing creatures.
I haven't been there in a few years...it's time to go back. We've been spending time on Raquette Lake and Sagamore Lake...but Forked is still my favorite.
From what I understand, when Loons make this "laughing" sound, this is a response to feeling threatened or showing anxiety about something. They also make a rarely heard "yodle" type sound as well.
My grandson was afraid of the loon call when he was a little guy - I had a clock and a stuffed animal that played the loon call and he'd scream every time. Now he loves them. He's 8.
You should hear it in the woods at about 3 a.m.....it's beautiful in a very eerie sort of way. But it is one thing that keeps me going back to the Adirondack lakes to camp. I love the loons!
Never heard this many loons in one spot, incredible! Its a treat to hear them when the family takes a vacation up to the boundary waters area of northern Minnesota, but wow, incredible.
when I was like 5 i was scared of loons cuz they had red eyes and they made this odd noise, one day i was exploring with my bff and one came near me and I freaked out.
oh heavenly, first to hear as suggested by a very close friend, and gosh I want to make this as my morning alarm. beautiful, so beautiful. thank you for uploading 😘😘
As a little girl, my grandpa has a cabin on Lake Bertha on the White Fish Chain. I live in the south. I'm a southern girl and I love going to Minnesota in the summer time!
I'm not positive, but I think they build them quite close to the shore. I have a friend who photographed them in a nest and it was right next to the shore. I've never seen a nest, either. I've never really spent any time looking for one because I wouldn't want to disturb them, but have done a bit of kayaking on Forked Lake and Sagamore Lake and never spotted a nest. Good luck.
I disagree, I had no problem falling asleep to Loons in Canada. Now the giant mosquitoes that threatened to carry you off in your sleeping bag were a different problem. Seriously though I had a harder time getting over the sound of a bug constantly buzzing by your ear as you tried to fall asleep then dealing with the Loons.
Definitely worth taking the time to get back to nature. It's a renewal for me. After the busy, hectic weeks in the office there is nothing like hopping in the kayak and paddling around an Adirondack lake and listening to the mournful call of the loon. Awesome. Thanks for the post.
we just got back from the Adirondacks...heard the loons every night. I love them. Much better than the macaw next door and the racket of our other neighbors peacocks that spend half their day in our yard...
mmm. i miss that sound, i used to go fishing with my dad early in the morning during the summer and we were so close to one you could reach out and touch it, then it started, calling and i closed my eyes, it was so beautiful.
That's a rather nasty attitude to have. I didn't ask you to view the video, so why leave nasty comments on someone's site that you don't even know? Life is pretty much what you make it. If you don't like it there, then move.
I've read that. I don't know what could have been stressing these loons - unless it was because they had chicks. We couldn't see them at the time I took the video...we could only hear them. We saw them later in the weekend.
@Mommy133TPN I'm so glad you could show your friend Forked Lake. I love that place....it's my favorite campground in the Adirondacks....and what brings me back year after year are the loons.
Thank you for the note. My favorite part of the Adirondacks is the loons. I could sit and listen to them call for hours. Such a beautiful, beautiful bird. I envy you that dock in dock in Minnesota!
We Canadians have a picture of a loon etched into our dollar coin. That's why we call it a "Loonie". It's very typical of our northern lakes.(There are over 3 million lakes in Canada)
We have been to Newcomb a couple of times. We've hiked back to Santanoni. We have to get up there this year - the last time we were there they had just begun renovating the great camp.
@pkupernik Lucky! We have never camped on an island there, but maybe one of these days we'll get there early enough so one is available. The island sites go fast!
i live in upstate new york too, yesterday i went to nwcomb for a field trip (like a 2 hour drive from where i am) and one of my friends showed me how to to a loon call.
These loons were in the Adirondacks in Upstate New York. I hope you get to realize your dream one day. Canada is a beautiful place to see. Thanks for the comment.
I am so glad that i am able to hear that call at night now, i live in Michigan and the loon range was disappearing, but finally it is down here on my lake again.
I think loons have one of the most interesting sounds ever especially the way it echos on the lake like that. Beautiful yet haunting, but mostly bautiful XD.
Absolutely. It's one of the most beautiful sounds I've heard ... I go to the Adirondacks every year in hopes of hearing it again...and again...and again.
