Arctic Loon
Gavia arctica

f9 @ 1/1250s, ISO:640, Nikon D300 w 500mm

"Arctic Loon," Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The black-throated loon has a large range, breeding taking place across northern Europe, Asia, and the Seward Peninsula in Alaska. When breeding, it is found in the area around isolated, deep freshwater lakes larger than 0.1 square kilometres (0.039 sq mi), especially those with inlets,as it prefers to face only small stretches of open water. When it is not breeding, this loon moves in a general southward direction and towards ice-free sea, usually wintering in coasts on north-east Atlantic Ocean and those on the eastern and western Pacific Ocean, such as the coasts of Japan. During this time, its habitat is usually inshore waters along sheltered coasts, although it will sometimes be found inland, in places such as the Mediterranean and Black seas.

Suomussalmi, Finland

07/20/2012