Common Loon Blast off - laws of physics

[Randy Stout]

This fellow was captured about three weeks ago in northern Michigan.  I have followed this pair of adults for three years and it has been great fun to watch them raise chicks. It is a very small lake to host nesting loons, so it is easier to work than most locations, where they are much more difficult to find.

Loons have the highest wing loading of any flying bird, so they really have to work hard to take off.  It is almost comical to watch them them run across the surface of the water to get up enough speed to lift off.  It is certainly not the casual explosion into the air of a duck for example. 

D4  600VR  f/6.3  1/2500  ISO 1000  shot from my little boat "LoonieToo"

Post:  Very slight crop for comp, selective sharpening.

Comments and advice always appreciated.

Cheers

Randy

[FredCrowBear]

Great capture!!! 

[Andrew]

Fantastic!

[Thomas G]

Admirable bird, fantastic shot! Complete like,- frozen moment of movement, sharpness, smooth background, reflection, framing.

[golunvolo]

Me too, nothing but praise. Sorry if it doesn´t help much. I enjoy it very much.

  Thank for sharing it

[bobfriedman]

great shot... nice action and well executed image.

[BillO]

Superb capture!!

These guys always make me think of the bird equivalent of a stretch 747 trying to get airborne  .

[Lowell]

What a great image.  Very well done!

Loons are amazing birds.  They are designed for swimming and diving.  They are awkward on land.  They are like a motor boat with the drive in the stern and I have never seen an image which shows this so clearly i.e. their legs are way back unlike ducks or geese.  Well Done!

[elsid]

I double what has been said above.

[tommiejeep]

Great image Randy, love the running takeoff
Tom

[Akira]

Hi, Randy, this is an excellent capture of "run for your life" moment of the loon!