Loons on Little Sebago

I sat alone on my deck one hot, humid night enjoying the silence as I sipped a glass of iced tea. OK, it was wine. The rising moon sparked a streak across the dark water. The air was oppressive with humidity. I was greeted by the song of a single note—high and clear and drawn out and lonely sounding in the otherwise still night. It was followed by a second note, a bit higher, and ended in a trill that echoed across the water. It might have been the same singer—or it might have been in answer to the first note, a duet, if you will, of single notes but in different cadence. I was listening to the sound of the common loon—or loons.


The loon makes several distinct sounds—and some believe each sound is associated with its own message. This link demonstrates four distinct sounds loons make and explains what these sounds mean, but how can we ever know that for sure.