Birding on the Lakes
The call of a loon across still water is the sound of summer in the Lakes Region. Here is who you will see and hear from the dock, and where to look, lake by lake.
The Loons
Nothing says the Lakes Region like the common loon. Their yodels and tremolos carry for miles on a calm evening, and most of our rental guests hear one before they have finished unpacking. Loons nest right at the waterline on quiet shores and islands, raise one or two chicks a season, and often ferry the chicks around on their backs in early summer.
The Loon Preservation Committee has monitored New Hampshire loons since the 1970s and runs a statewide census each July. Lake Winnipesaukee hosts roughly 35 nesting pairs, and Squam Lake hosts roughly 15 nesting pairs.
A few things every guest can do for them: give nests and chicks a wide berth (150 feet or more), watch your wake near shorelines in early summer, and fish with non-lead tackle. New Hampshire bans the small lead sinkers and jigs loons most often swallow, because ingested lead tackle is the leading cause of adult loon deaths in the state.
Who You'll See
Common Loon
SummerIconic, nesting pairs on islands
Bald Eagle
Year-roundNesting pairs in Tuftonboro and Moultonborough
Barred Owl
Year-roundListen at dusk from the dock
Common Merganser
Year-round
Mallard
Year-round
Pileated Woodpecker
Year-round
Red-tailed Hawk
Year-round
Baltimore Oriole
Summer
Belted Kingfisher
Summer
Broad-winged Hawk
SummerKettles during fall migration
Cedar Waxwing
Summer
Double-crested Cormorant
Summer
Great Blue Heron
Summer
Osprey
SummerFish-hunting dives visible from shore
Red-winged Blackbird
SummerMarshy coves
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Summer
Tree Swallow
SummerAbundant over the lake surface
Wood Duck
SummerSome photos are served from Wikimedia Commons; click a photo for its author and license.
Lake by Lake
Lake Winnipesaukee
~35 loon pairs14 species listed
- ◉Loon Nest Trail (shoreline walk with nesting loons)
- ◉Back Bay, Wolfeboro (herons, kingfishers, mergansers)
- ◉Moultonborough Bay (eagles, osprey)
- ◉Rattlesnake Island area (loons, cormorants)
Approximately 35 nesting pairs. The Loon Preservation Committee monitors nesting activity and conducts an annual census (July). Lead fishing tackle is the #1 cause of loon mortality in NH.
7 species listed
- ◉Southern cove (herons, ducks in early morning)
- ◉Shoreline paddle, quiet enough to see wildlife close-up
Nesting loons present; please give nests a wide berth (150+ feet). No wake zones near nesting areas.
7 species listed
- ◉Wentworth State Beach area
- ◉Marshy inlets on the northern shore (wading birds, ducks)
9 species listed
- ◉Shallow coves on the northern shore (wading birds)
- ◉Berry Bay area (ducks, herons)
- ◉Ossipee Mountains ridgeline (raptor migration in September)
6 species listed
- ◉Entire shoreline, paddle slowly at dawn for best sightings
Mirror Lake's small size and quiet atmosphere make loon viewing particularly intimate. Listen for their haunting calls at dusk and dawn.
Squam Lake
~15 loon pairs10 species listed
- ◉Squam Lakes Natural Science Center loon cruises (Holderness)
- ◉Moon and Bowman Islands (nesting loons, maintain distance)
- ◉Five Finger Point (herons, kingfishers)
- ◉Rattlesnake Mountain trail overlook (eagles soaring)
Squam Lake has one of New Hampshire's densest loon populations with ~15 territorial pairs. The Squam Lakes Natural Science Center runs loon cruises where naturalists track and explain loon behavior in real time.
8 species listed
- ◉Mouth of Winnipesaukee River, Laconia (eBird hotspot)
- ◉Silver Lake outlet area (wading birds)
- ◉Winnisquam Beach (shorebirds, terns in migration)
Resources & Local Groups
Most of our waterfront rentals come with a front-row seat: a dock, a quiet cove, and loon calls at dusk. Saturday-to-Saturday weeks, booked personally.
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