Loon Magic–Chuck Kartak

How to get CLOSE
Here is Chuck’s shortened answer to the question about getting close to loons for better photographs.
My strategy is that when I approach wildlife like a loon, I stay 75-100 yards away in my canoe. Over 30-45 minutes I observe their behavior and remain that distance away. Once they start their morning feeding, I’ll go upwind of them and let the canoe slowly float toward them. After an hour, they seem to pretty much ignore me. Then, I can get closer keeping paddle movements to a minimum while they feed, preen, and stretch their wings. Sometimes they get curious and even swim towards me. My camera is always at the ready in front of me, so I can capture moments of babies riding on backs, wing stretches, and minnows being fed. So, the answer to the question of how did I get close to that loon is that I spent about “three hours” following the family around with a 100-500 mm lens, hoping for that “just right” moment/condition when the light/composition etc. come together. Usually I’m out just before sunrise to 9:00-10:00 when targeting loons.
I Hope this better explains how to get closer to loons and other wildlife…hours and patience!