Photographing birds in the wild is a hit and miss game. The first thing you need is to know where the birds like to be and what their habits are. You've got to meet them where they are. Next, you've got to be there at the right time. This involves varying amounts of luck. Yes, you can choose, as we did to be in the right place at the right time of year. But there is still the problem of being within photographing range of a birds at any particular moment.
There are several sorts of loons that are found in Alaska in early June. However, only one of these, the Red Throated Loon is found in the smaller ponds. This is, as I have been told by our tour guide, because the Red Throated is lighter than the other loon and can simply take flight from a standing (sitting) start. The other loons, being heavier, need a "runway" to get up to speed before they can fly. This opens possibilities for the Red Throated in feeding and nesting in the smaller ponds that the other loons do not have.
