Cry of the Loon

Loons are iconic creatures of the most northerly U.S. states and much of Canada. The haunting and surprisingly loud calls made by these waterbirds are, for many people, so symbolic of life around cold northern lakes that a northwoods summer evening during which no loon calls are heard seems somehow unnatural. In spite of how strongly people associate loons with the upper reaches of our continent, the animals are actually snowbirds which abandon those chilly regions each winter and fly south, spending much of the year in warmer climes. Charlotte Harbor plays host to hundreds of loons each winter, and it’s almost impossible to make a trip down the Harbor without encountering the birds.