I have not seen anyone else mention this yet this spring. I was working on a customer's lake house here in central Wisconsin yesterday. There was a loon hanging around on the lake. The homeowner says the loons are just here when migrating. It was great to hear that sound again.

Minnewaska is almost open. This is a stop over for some loons. I counted 12-13 once near Torgy's bay.

quote Unas10: "I have not seen anyone else mention this yet this spring. I was working on a customer's lake house here in central Wisconsin yesterday. There was a loon hanging around on the lake. The homeowner says the loons are just here when migrating. It was great to hear that sound again."

Agreed, I just love their call.. Another sure sign of spring are the numerous killdeer and sand hill cranes that are out in the back pasture.

Another loon lover. I see them from time to time here in central Iowa passing through, but seldom hear any calls. It is a sound that resonates deep inside.

Question. If I wanted to plan a trip when I would have the greatest chance of hearing loons calling when and where would I go? If I am stealing the thread apologies to Unas10 and admins let me know and I will open in a new thread, just hoped for a couple short answers. Thanks all.

quote bhouse46: "...when I would have the greatest chance of hearing loons calling..."

I generally trip May/June and September. They're MUCH more vocal early. Sorry I can't speak first-hand to July/August when more people do their trips though.

Here. They are vocal when they figure out their nesting areas and territories in May. They usually like to do that in our front yard leading my husband to tell them to shut up at midnight..he runs out au naturel.. fortunately no neighbors.. They listen for about ten minutes.

Things calm down June- Sept save for the ruckus when a float plane flies overhead.. They sound the alarm call. Then in Sept they have what must be the bird equivalent of keg party.. They gather in large groups and carry on with all manner of calls.

Apologies to Ben.. we saw loons in Cedar Key Florida . But in banker grey and solemn and silent.

What I found interesting about the OP is the single loon.. Undoubtedly they send scouts. But I have never seen one alone just after ice out. What loons do may be different here. They have a very short migration.. About 15 miles.( they overwinter on the ocean here)
They are larger than the Midwest loon and quite used to humans.

My grandparents lived on a lake with loons and I would hear them almost nightly from the end of May to the end of August. Loons prefer to nest on lakes that are greater than fifty acres in size. I think they are more vocal when there is more than one pair on a lake since some of those calls are territorial in nature.

I've seen a couple moving through this past week near Madison!

Love the first time I hear the call when on a new lake.
By 2am... not so much.

I am not from loon country and Can Not Wait to hear them again in May. Something about a campfire at dusk and the loons calling.......Pure Peace to me!

I live several blocks south of Minneapolis. I just saw a couple loons fly over, calling their tremolo flight song as they passed. We also see bald eagles daily, they are building a nest nearby. Lots of birds that used to be rare are becoming common.

Their are loons by Saint Cloud

I can't wait!! Loons have been on my metro lake for more than 5 years now - maybe closer to 10. But I always worry they won't return.

I do try to find the nests... and worry about them and check on them in the canoe often

Some lakes have floating nests.. they are man made. Ours does not and power boat wakes can and do flood nests..

then there are the eagles who also nest on our lake.. Eagle loves loon egg and chick.

I was out in the yard this weekend and their was a loon or two on our small lake, just north of the Twin Cities, it was great to hear the call for the first time this year.

Thanks for the loon lore.

Saw a lone Loon in NE Illinois today at the forest preserve.

I saw a pair of loons on the lake today here in Waseca, MN

I've lived in Minneapolis for six years, and I run on the chain of lakes daily. The first two years I was here, the loons only passed through. They stopped by in April, then moved on.

The last three years, they have stayed on Lake Calhoun and Cedar Lake all summer. One pair on each of those two lakes, I think - though none seem to have taken up residence on Lake Harriet or Lake of the Isles. It's amazing - I grew up seeing and hearing loons up north every year, and thinking of them as animals of the pristine wilderness. Now, I can see and hear them less than a mile from where I live.

I'm not sure what changed in 2014, the first summer they stayed, but I'm glad they did.

They need clean water. Did your water quality get better?
They adapt well to humans.. We find chicks taking cover under docks while the parents are free to fish.

quote dele: "I've lived in Minneapolis for six years, and I run on the chain of lakes daily. The first two years I was here, the loons only passed through. They stopped by in April, then moved on.


The last three years, they have stayed on Lake Calhoun and Cedar Lake all summer. One pair on each of those two lakes, I think - though none seem to have taken up residence on Lake Harriet or Lake of the Isles. It's amazing - I grew up seeing and hearing loons up north every year, and thinking of them as animals of the pristine wilderness. Now, I can see and hear them less than a mile from where I live.


I'm not sure what changed in 2014, the first summer they stayed, but I'm glad they did."

If I remember right, those lakes do not allow motors...not sure about Harriet though.
Lake of the Isles has a lot of possible nesting areas, and lots of fish.

That's correct. No motors allowed on the city lakes. Trolling motors might be legal, I'm not certain about that.

Went for a walk along Lake Minnewaska and saw the first pair of loons yesterday! We were able to watch them from our dining room at sunset!

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quote dele: "That's correct. No motors allowed on the city lakes. Trolling motors might be legal, I'm not certain about that."

Yes they are with a permit.

Loons have arrived upon our small lake near Forest Lake, MN as of this morning. However, the eagle population has really hit the loonlings hard in recent years. Last season we lost both fledgelings and the year before a single.

Tough to watch but a part of the cycle.

Mac