The common loon in the Adirondacks.
In the Adirondacks, a loon’s call can turn an ordinary morning or evening by the water into the moment everyone remembers. Recognizing that sound, however, is only the first step in understanding the bird behind it.
This winter, a Saranac Lake conservation organization is offering a closer look—without requiring anyone to launch a kayak in November.
The Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation’s returning Loon Zooms series brings six online presentations to wildlife enthusiasts from November 2026 through April 2027.
Researchers and conservation specialists will explore subjects ranging from nest cameras and lake stewardship to contaminants and the clues revealed by veterinary investigations.
Each program runs from 7 pm – 8 pm on the second Thursday of the month. Attendance costs $10 per presentation or $50 for all six, making the series an accessible way to spend a winter evening thinking about the lakes that shape Adirondack life. Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation.
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A familiar bird with much more to reveal.
What makes Loon Zooms compelling is the chance to hear from people whose work goes well beyond spotting a black-and-white bird across a bay. These speakers study nesting, examine causes of death, track environmental exposure, and interpret observations collected by volunteers.
Loon with chick.
Their work adds another dimension to a familiar Adirondack experience. That distant silhouette on the water belongs to an animal whose survival depends on conditions that a casual lakeside observer may never notice.
The series also connects local interest with a wider scientific community. Speakers represent the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation, Birds Canada, the Biodiversity Research Institute, and the University of New Hampshire. A favorite Adirondack bird becomes an entry point into questions that reach across lakes and borders.
No binoculars are required. A comfortable chair should suffice; an advanced degree can stay off the packing list.
Six evenings that follow the evidence.
The season opens on November 12, 2026, with Dr. Lizz Schuyler, the center’s senior director of science and conservation. Her presentation brings together the loon census, nest cameras, and lead fishing tackle under a practical theme: sharing the lake with loons.
On December 10, Birds Canada biologist Kathy Jones widens the view to other waterbirds. Her talk explores how an interest in loons and lakes can help build knowledge about wetlands and support conservation through community science.
The new year moves into less visible territory. On January 14, 2027, Micah Miller, director of the Biodiversity Research Institute’s Loon Program, examines PFAS, often called “forever chemicals.” Fish-eating loons can serve as indicators of environmental contamination, giving researchers a way to investigate exposure within lake food webs.
On February 11, University of New Hampshire veterinary pathologist Dr. Inga Sidor discusses common loon mortality in New England. Cases from her work offer a different perspective on the bird’s survival, examining established threats alongside emerging diseases and changing environmental conditions.
On March 11, Birds Canada research ecologist Dr. Matt Fuirst addresses widespread declines in common loon chick production. His presentation draws on research involving observations from thousands of volunteers, connecting the work of individual lake watchers with a much larger conservation picture.
The series returns to Adirondack stewardship on April 8. Schuyler and the center’s research biologist, Griffin Archambault, will review lessons from 2026 and discuss research and initiatives for 2027. It is a fitting final installment for anyone already thinking about the next season on the water.
Loon navigating a smooth landing on an Adirondack lake.
Listen to ADK Talks podcast episode on protecting Adirondack loons.
What does it take to protect the birds behind that unmistakable call? In this episode of ADK Talks, Denise Silfee and Dr. Lizz Schuyler of the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation discuss the science and everyday decisions shaping loon survival—from lead fishing tackle and boating activity to the health of Adirondack lakes.
The conversation offers an introduction to the conservation work behind Loon Zooms, with practical insights for paddlers, anglers, lakeside residents, and anyone who loves hearing a loon across the water.
Lizz Schuyler also leads the November Loon Zoom and co-presents April’s season finale, connecting this conversation with the winter series.
For more episode highlights and listening options, visit Protecting Adirondack Loons: The Science, the Threats, and the Hope.
ADK Taste recommendations.
Choose a single presentation that matches a particular interest, or book the full series for a broader understanding of loon conservation. Six individual registrations total $60; the $50 series option saves $10.
Registration is required through the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation’s events page. According to the center’s series announcement, registration closes at noon the day before each presentation, and attendance links arrive by email that evening. For the November 12 opener, that means registering by noon on November 11.
The center advises booking early because space is limited. These are online events, so participation fits equally well into a winter visit, an evening at home in the Park, or a week spent missing the Adirondacks from somewhere considerably farther south.
Loon parent with chicks on its back.
ADK Taste perspective.
The best nature programs change what people notice afterward. Loon Zooms offers that possibility: a richer understanding of a bird many Adirondack residents and visitors already love, and a clearer sense of the research behind its protection.
By spring, a familiar lake may look a little different. The call will still carry across the water. There will simply be more to hear in it.
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