On many an occasion I’ve been camping in the Adirondacks, and one of my favorite periods is right at dusk when the lake becomes absolutely glass-like. The sun is setting but you can still see the silhouettes of trees, all these conical spires, beautiful reflection on the water for the last few bits of sunlight, and then you hear the wail of a loon. You’ll hear one individual of the pair give this long mournful wail, which is essentially saying, I’m here, where are you? Generally moments later you’ll hear the response from the other member of the pair giving its wail saying I’m over here. Loons are active at night. It can be out on a beautiful Adirondack lake after dark or a Northern Minnesota lake, and this is one of the characteristic evocative sounds you’re going to hear from that area; something that will stick with you for the rest of your life. It just punctuates the fall of night, and really sets the mood for what follows. The solitude, the peacefulness, it’s all wrapped up in that one vocalization.
~ Greg Budney, Macaulay Library Audio Curator
Source: Your Eyes Blaze Out
I immediately thought of Catherine Hepbrun in On Golden Pond and her many scenes talking about or with the loons.
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Ahhh, yes. Great memories from that movie.
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these words evoke the beauty of the setting and the universal quest as one calls for their partner, their support, their love.
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Yes, beautifully captured.
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This was part of my Life Soundtrack when I lived in Minnesota. Memory hymn.
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Minnesota. Land of the 10,000 lakes. Yes.
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10,000 lakes and a bunch of Loons.
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Laughing!
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Having camped many a time in the Adirondacks as a kid, I know the sound of loons, the glassy lakes and a few mosqitoes 🙂 Great childhood memories!
When I moved out west in 1991, I missed the loons so much that I bought one of those “sound of nature” cassette tapes. It was a great meditation background soundtrack until I could predict every approaching loon sound. Nature, thankfully, doesn’t do that 🙂
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Debra, thanks for sharing. I need to find one of those loon tapes. Sounds wonderful.
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They have a beautiful call.
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They do, piercing the silence of the north woods.
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Utterly LOVE hearing loons on a quiet, serene lake with the crickets in the background. To me, that’s Canada!!! Cher xo
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Yes, that’s it Cher…loon, lake, crickets, Canada.
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Ah, yes, it sure is (they don’t understand that down here!) *biggest grin* Cher xo
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Hauntingly beautiful. The tremulous quality of the call, so mellifluous. “The solitude, the peacefulness, it’s all wrapped up in that one vocalization.” Indeed…
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It is hauntingly beautiful Lori. I’ve listened to this clip several times and I’m transported (back home).
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How lucky were you to have this as the soundtrack of your youth, pal? Wow….
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Yes. Full stop.
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