My wife and I spent at least four Fridays this summer canoeing in Algonquin Park photographing Common Loons, or as they are called in Europe Northern Divers.  A number of these images can be seen at www.scottmartinphotography.ca however I still have hundreds more images that need to processed, and the best ones will be posted here over the next few weeks.

This Loon was sitting on two eggs which have an incubation period of three to four weeks. This is the only time Loons ever spend on the nest.  From the time the chicks are born, they live on the water 24/7.  As Loons can’t walk on land (their feet are too far back on their bodies so they are resigned to push themselves on their chest) the nests are always at the water’s edge allowing them to easily slide into the water where they are experts.  Loons have been known to dive to depths of 200′ while fishing, which they are able to do because of the way their feet are positioned. God designed Loons for the water!

The red eye and iridescent colouring on the head and neck are truly special to see up close.

These shots were all taken hand held from a canoe with a Canon 1D MkIII and 500 f/4 lens.