Common Loon
Centennial Park
April 7, 2012
Photos by Howard Patterson
Centennial Park
April 7, 2012
Photos by Howard Patterson
Lake Elkhorn
March 19, 2015
Photo by Allen Lewis
Wilde Lake
May 14, 2012
Photos by Jeff Friedhoffer
Loon Comparison
Common Loon top
Red-throated Loon below
Photo by Nancy Magnusson
When possible, take a photo and make a sound recording and spectrogram. While not needed for common species, it is good to get into the habit so you will remember to do it for the unusual ones.
Two Swans Rescue a Common Loon
On January 16, 2024, HCBC member Ryan Salsman discovered a Common Loon on a private pond in Howard County. Unfortunately, increasing ice was rapidly reducing the amount of open water endangering the bird. (Not only do loons feed by diving for fish, but they need a long runway to take flight.) Fellow member Russ Ruffing kept an eye on the bird and the pond daily. By January 22, 2024, ice covered the entire pond stranding the bird on the ice. Val Swan and her husband, Jeff, attempted a rescue the same day and with luck, using a car cover as a net, they were able to capture the bird. The loon was successfully released at Springdale Quarry. Although Val and Jeff Swan and Russ Ruffing were the primary rescuers, many people in the Maryland birding community were involved in attempting to obtain help for this bird!