Come explore the magical and fascinating world of the Common Loon. Hear their wails and other calls amid the wilderness of western Maine.
All trips take place on small ponds or sections of the larger lakes to maximize time on the water photographing the birds. All tour are run using either a canoe or kayaks. The utmost care is taken not to disturb the adult loons and their chicks.
For that reason and taking into account my schedule I run only two tours per week on Tuesdays and Saturdays. All tour are run using either a canoe or kayaks.
Tours of two hour, four hour and six hour lengths can be booked through the WeTravel links below. There is a calendar for each trip showing availability.
If you are looking to photograph adult Common Loons with their chicks, the young are usually expected to hatch in early July. Please bear in mind that successful nesting depends on water levels and lack of predation. Once the chicks hatch there is approximately a three- week window in which they are small enough to ride on the backs of the adults. Common Loon chicks grow very quickly.
Once you book a trip I will be in touch with information on what to bring and what to expect during your adventure with Common Loons.
Best,
Nick
Here are recent reviews from clients who joined me for Common Loon photography trips.
After doing a 4-hour kayak session with Nick on July 24 and 25 to photograph loons, I highly recommend Nick's workshops if you are a nature photographer wanting to get your own loon images or just a nature lover wanting to spend some quiet time on a lake with these beautiful haunting birds.
With Nick's extensive knowledge of the area and of loons and their behavior, he was able to quickly put us on loon pairs on three separate lakes and get us close to the loons without intruding on their space. With his experience observing and photographing loons for many years, he was able to anticipate their preening, wing flapping, and social behavior to put us in position for great shots.
Overall, spending a few hours of quiet solitude on a Rangeley area lake in close proximity to beautiful loons was a magical experience and left me wanting more.
Ray Bednar, Texas
I spent an amazing day in a kayak with Nick Leadley. The weather was fine, and it was as if the birds were on call! Nick was a grand host, knowledgeable, quiet, and extremely competent. I brought home a huge number of keepers, great photos of loons and landscape. It was a super day, and I came away having made a great friend. Thanks, Nick!!!
Michael Dimen, New York
Our Common Loon photography trip with Nick Leadley greatly exceeded our expectations, It was fantastic. We took some great photographs of loon families from sunrise to sunset in coves, ponds, lakes and rivers around Rangeley. We observed Common Loons tending their young, flying overhead, feeding and swimming underwater. We also saw Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons, Mergansers and a hawk carrying its prey across the water. Nick did a great job of teaching us to use our cameras and lenses to photograph the loons in different light. As a certified Maine Guide he was able to much more than give us tips. He explained the loon's behavior which both deepened our appreciation and helped us improve our photography. Nick's expertise also ensured our safety on the water. We felt totally secure getting in and out of the kayak with our camera gear. He helped position our kayak to photograph the loons from different angles. One of the biggest bonuses is Nick himself. He's fun, flexible and responsive. He made an effort to customize the trip by meeting with us before the trip to talk about our goals and asked for feedback periodically. He was attentive to details from packing a delicious lunch, bottled water, bug spray and even remembering toilet paper for a bathroom break. We can't wait to return next year for another Common Loon adventure.
Susie Dorr and Greg Kniseley, Rhode Island
We would like to deliver our most sincere gratitude for your excellent guided tour which you provided to us in the past two days.
We knew it was going to rain for both days so we didn’t hold any high hopes/expectations for this trip. However, it turn out to be just the opposite that we were so delighted and excited about every tour detail, all the wonderful experiences, and most importantly all the great photographs we have received!! It was all because we had an excellent and exceptional guide, Nick Leadley.
We were very impressed with your love and caring and the experience of seeing the Common Loons. We were fascinated and had good laughs of the stories you shared. There was not a dull moment while we sat with you in the canoe.
We deeply appreciated your thoughtfulness and support regarding our safety, the wet protection for our cameras and gear, the rain pants which kept us warm and dry, and every in and out from the big and comfortable canoe. We felt welcomed, comfortable, and safe in every step of the whole journey
We were thrilled to be able to find the Common Loons in such big lakes and especially while it was drizzling and foggy at various times. Both you and your experience in guiding is superior and impeccable.
Charle and Chih-Chen Tse, Massachusetts
A recent blog post from 2024 clients John and Robin Mallery:
