I Love Loons!

Many days during my visits to Michigan, I hop on my kayak and head up Torch River to search for loons. I am drawn to these elegant birds with the black and white pattern on their bodies, one of nature’s unique masterpieces. Here is my view as I write this post.

If I am lucky I will hear the loon call (think of the movie On Golden Pond). Most of the time I pedal up river in my Hobie Mirage kayak to catch a glimpse and photograph a loon or two. I am always eager to catch their red eyes glowing in the shot. The photos were taken with my zoom camera, a Canon sx70HS.

To see the images of the loons larger, click on them below.

Along with pattern and design in nature, I love the graphic design and illustrations I find in vintage illustrations I discover on the pages of my book collection, some of which I share in my shop as digital images as well as ebooks.

Here is a loon illustration from my 1931 bird book that I recently found at an estate sale in Suttons Bay, Michigan.

Nature’s treasures in the present and visual treasures from the past are my favorite themes to collect, curate, and preserve. As I have in this post I like to connect the two – my modern photography with my collection of vintage books and ephemera. I hope you will join me in the journey and share my stories with others you know who might enjoy my passions too. Encourage them to visit my blog and subscribe to my newsletter. That would really help me out as I want to continue to provide content like this.

 Here are some fun facts I learned while researching for this post: 

• Loons are offered often called the “feathered fish” since much of their life is spent underwater. They can swim underwater for up to 3 minutes.
• Loons only touch land at birth, mating, and nesting.
• Ember goose is the name for the common loon in Northern Europe. A folklore legend describes how it got the distinctive coloration by being doused with ashes and embers.
• In most parts of the world, loons are referred to as the Great Northern Diver.
• The peculiar call or laughing of the loon is tied to the modern term “crazy as a loon.”
• The sleek black and white breeding plumage changes in Winter to gray and white the red eyes never change.

I never get tired of observing and photographing the stunning beauty of these fascinating birds.  I hope you enjoyed this post and have a chance to enjoy these animals as I do. Here is Torch River’s location on Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, the “mitten”. Create custom embroidery for the land that you love with this book! For more information on the book, watch this book review video on my YouTube Channel or check out this post.

Land That I Love

If you are looking to celebrate the states that you love, whether it’s the ones you live in or the ones you love to visit. Check out my book, Land That I Love.

In this embroidery design book, you’ll discover that home is where your heart is –or where your state pride resides! Now you can accent your home with modern yet classic stitchery.