Red-throated Loons on Lake Superior

[Borealhunter]

Today at Park Point there were 5 Red-throated Loons off Park Point bath house in Duluth, MN. They were swimming out 200 yards from the beach but unfortunately I was there at 8am and the sum was slightly to the right of the loons. Since I was wearing a white long sleeve shirt I waved my arms up and down as though I was trying to fly and the loons swam closer to me to inspect me. This is an old trick to lure loons closer to the observer. The last time I tried this trick was with Kim Eckert back in the early 1980's when we saw a raft of loons far out and we used a white bed sheet and waved it up and down and the loons came in towards shore to inspect us. We were looking for Red-throated Loons and the loons were far out on Lake Superior. I have no idea if this will work on inland lakes but it does work on Lake Superior.

Mike

[Steve Foss]

Good capture, Mike, and an excellent tip on attracting the attention of loons. I'll have to try that on the lakes up here.

[ShawnZ]

This is excellent Mike! Great choice of crop for this presentation. Nice spacing between the subjects, easily one of the best red throated loon images I've seen come out of Minnesota.

[shortfatguy]

Very cool! I have to admit I have never seen one!!