Common loon plumage - the molting process.
p.1 #1Common loon plumage - the molting process.
The following are observations I've made during my loon work.
After nesting on ponds or lakes, Common Loons in Maine fly directly east to overwinter along the inshore Atlantic. I captured this image on April 4, 2026 on an Atlantic esturary. A 600mm was used, but this 100% crop was necessary, as the bird was a long way out into the estuary.
The timing is fascinating, because it is not until deep into April (just before the ice melts from inland basins), that the loons complete their spring molt into their gorgeous breeding plumage, and are ready for the "dance floor"
. How can completion of the spring molt be synchronized with ice-out? The only environmental factor that could affect both is air temperature.
And here is a nesting couple, on an inland pond, and dressed in that full breeding plumage. Gorgeous!
In this latitude, Loons begin losing breeding plumage in mid-September. The grizzled muzzle on this mother is not related to age. It is the first part of the breeding plumage to be lost, in mid-September. The chick is almost 90 days of age and will learn to fly soon (usually during the first north winds of late September).
The following two images of an adult loon were taken in October. This is the mother; the father has already left for wintering waters along the near-shore Atlantic.
This is the first image of mama searching for her two grown chicks. She surfaced and stopped, staring at me, not more than 15 feet from my bow and directly in my path. It was as if she wanted an answer to "Do you know where my kids went?"
Swimming just underwater for long distances, the exploring chicks surface in any direction from where they submerged. She could not keep up with them, and neither could I.
I hope readers enjoy this information.
Robert
Edited on Apr 07, 2026 at 04:02 AM · View previous versions
After nesting on ponds or lakes, Common Loons in Maine fly directly east to overwinter along the inshore Atlantic. I captured this image on April 4, 2026 on an Atlantic esturary. A 600mm was used, but this 100% crop was necessary, as the bird was a long way out into the estuary.
The timing is fascinating, because it is not until deep into April (just before the ice melts from inland basins), that the loons complete their spring molt into their gorgeous breeding plumage, and are ready for the "dance floor"
. How can completion of the spring molt be synchronized with ice-out? The only environmental factor that could affect both is air temperature. And here is a nesting couple, on an inland pond, and dressed in that full breeding plumage. Gorgeous!
In this latitude, Loons begin losing breeding plumage in mid-September. The grizzled muzzle on this mother is not related to age. It is the first part of the breeding plumage to be lost, in mid-September. The chick is almost 90 days of age and will learn to fly soon (usually during the first north winds of late September).
The following two images of an adult loon were taken in October. This is the mother; the father has already left for wintering waters along the near-shore Atlantic.
This is the first image of mama searching for her two grown chicks. She surfaced and stopped, staring at me, not more than 15 feet from my bow and directly in my path. It was as if she wanted an answer to "Do you know where my kids went?"
Swimming just underwater for long distances, the exploring chicks surface in any direction from where they submerged. She could not keep up with them, and neither could I.
I hope readers enjoy this information.
Robert
Edited on Apr 07, 2026 at 04:02 AM · View previous versions
Apr 05, 2026 at 04:08 AM
p.1 #3Common loon plumage - the molting process.
whats with the giant watermark?
Edited on Apr 05, 2026 at 10:37 AM · View previous versions
Edited on Apr 05, 2026 at 10:37 AM · View previous versions
Apr 05, 2026 at 06:32 AM
p.1 #4Common loon plumage - the molting process.
Great set and info Robert. I love loons, wish I had more opportunities with them.
John
John
Apr 05, 2026 at 07:04 AM
p.1 #5Common loon plumage - the molting process.
johnohio wrote:
Great set and info Robert. I love loons, wish I had more opportunities with them.
John
Thanks John, and maybe in the future you will be able to spend time with them.
Great set and info Robert. I love loons, wish I had more opportunities with them.
John
Thanks John, and maybe in the future you will be able to spend time with them.
Apr 05, 2026 at 07:14 AM
p.1 #6Common loon plumage - the molting process.
Very nice captures, Robert! Have not seen any migrants here this year, yet.
Douglas.
Douglas.
Apr 05, 2026 at 08:01 AM
p.1 #7Common loon plumage - the molting process.
douter wrote:
Very nice captures, Robert! Have not seen any migrants here this year, yet.
Douglas.
Thank you Douglas.
Very nice captures, Robert! Have not seen any migrants here this year, yet.
Douglas.
Thank you Douglas.
Apr 05, 2026 at 08:54 AM
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p.1 #8Common loon plumage - the molting process.
I always enjoy your Loon work Robert ! You're so fortunate to be able to spend this time with them. Keep up the great work !
Gary
Gary
Apr 05, 2026 at 09:03 AM
p.1 #9Common loon plumage - the molting process.
The next to the last is my pick Robert. Great info
Morris
Morris
Apr 05, 2026 at 09:23 AM
p.1 #10Common loon plumage - the molting process.
beautiful eye on the second pic
Apr 06, 2026 at 06:08 AM
p.1 #11Common loon plumage - the molting process.
douter wrote:
Very nice captures, Robert! Have not seen any migrants here this year, yet.
Douglas.
Please keep us posted Douglas.
After reading your post, I did an Ai search and also searched "Birds of the World". I subscribe to "Birds of the World" ($40 per year seems fair to me). And one does not have to agree with every observation the researchers make.
Near as I can tell (not certain on this now), Ohio is within the migratory pathway of Common Loons nesting all the way north into Alaska and all the geography between the two. Hope to spend the time. today for a closer look at the references.
I think we have to consider that it is colder up there than where I am in Maine. So, I'll guess that you'll soon see some loons passing northward
Robert
Very nice captures, Robert! Have not seen any migrants here this year, yet.
Douglas.
Please keep us posted Douglas.
After reading your post, I did an Ai search and also searched "Birds of the World". I subscribe to "Birds of the World" ($40 per year seems fair to me). And one does not have to agree with every observation the researchers make.
Near as I can tell (not certain on this now
), Ohio is within the migratory pathway of Common Loons nesting all the way north into Alaska and all the geography between the two. Hope to spend the time. today for a closer look at the references. I think we have to consider that it is colder up there than where I am in Maine. So, I'll guess that you'll soon see some loons passing northward
Robert
Apr 07, 2026 at 04:23 AM
p.1 #12Common loon plumage - the molting process.
sum1sgrampa wrote:
I always enjoy your Loon work Robert ! You're so fortunate to be able to spend this time with them. Keep up the great work !
Gary
Thanks so much Gary. Yes, loons have a lot of charisma. I must also say that it is becoming more difficult to watch them in a peaceful setting.
Robert
I always enjoy your Loon work Robert ! You're so fortunate to be able to spend this time with them. Keep up the great work !
Gary
Thanks so much Gary. Yes, loons have a lot of charisma. I must also say that it is becoming more difficult to watch them in a peaceful setting.
Robert
Apr 07, 2026 at 04:29 AM
p.1 #13Common loon plumage - the molting process.
morris wrote:
The next to the last is my pick Robert. Great info
Morris
Thank you Morris. They are fascinating. And the most fun is just watching them and learning from them. It's true; it sure beats sitting at a computer and post-processing images.
In that image you picked, she was having the same problem I was. One cannot keep up with the chicks when they are that age. When she popped up in front of me, she stared at me for the longest moment then continued to try to find them to give one the smelt.
In the image it is October and both chicks have already learned to fly. So, they could have left for the coast by now. But they chose to stay because they enjoy exploring this basin. And they can swim just under the surface for huge distances (roughly 200 yards?) and pop up in any direction. So, it is impossible to keep track of them.
Robert
The next to the last is my pick Robert. Great info
Morris
Thank you Morris. They are fascinating. And the most fun is just watching them and learning from them. It's true; it sure beats sitting at a computer and post-processing images.
In that image you picked, she was having the same problem I was. One cannot keep up with the chicks when they are that age. When she popped up in front of me, she stared at me for the longest moment then continued to try to find them to give one the smelt.
In the image it is October and both chicks have already learned to fly. So, they could have left for the coast by now. But they chose to stay because they enjoy exploring this basin. And they can swim just under the surface for huge distances (roughly 200 yards?) and pop up in any direction. So, it is impossible to keep track of them.
Robert
Apr 07, 2026 at 04:40 AM
p.1 #14Common loon plumage - the molting process.
Great set of my state bird!
Apr 07, 2026 at 08:09 AM