Today I’m sharing a spring Common Loon photo I took exactly two years ago—on a chilly morning at a pond near where I lived back then in Salt Lake County, Utah.

Spring Common Loon going into breeding plumage, Salt Lake County, UtahSpring Common Loon going into breeding plumage – Nikon D500, tripod mounted, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 500, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

My dear friend Shane found the first loon and shared it with me, and later on I had a few great sessions photographing the loons at that pond with my other dear friend, April.

This particular Common Loon—the first one—hadn’t quite reached full breeding plumage when it visited the local pond. I didn’t mind one bit. I was simply thrilled to have this gorgeous waterbird in my viewfinder for several days.

The winter before the loons arrived had been especially snowy, particularly in the high country where many ponds, lakes, and reservoirs were still frozen over during migration.

That meant the spring Common Loons dropped into the valley, where open water gave them a chance to fish and refuel before continuing on to their breeding grounds.

I zealously took thousands of photos of the loons that visited the pond, and I’m extremely glad I did. Just a few weeks later, my life began to take a different turn with my mother’s health declining and her eventual passing.

By this time last year, I was seeing Utah in my rearview mirror, and my opportunities to photograph loons so close to home had disappeared.

Common Loon: The ABA Bird of the Year

In my opinion, the ABA (American Birding Association) picked an outstanding bird for 2025’s Bird of the Year. Common Loons are striking visually, their calls touch something deep inside us, and they are fascinating and sometimes mysterious!

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Common Loon photos plus facts and information about this species.