July 15 - Cry of the Loon

Caribou Lake

On a warm July evening, I drifted quietly behind a lone loon on Caribou Lake. Without warning, it lifted its head and released a familiar serenade—one of the defining sounds of the Northland.

The call carries across the water with an eerie beauty, drawing your attention and settling into the stillness. It stirs something deeper—memories of quiet lakes, fading light, and the timeless rhythm of summer evenings. Researchers have identified four distinct loon calls: the tremolo, the wail, the yodel, and the hoot. Each serves a purpose—communication, territory, and each is part of a design crafted by the hand of God.

The flow of the seasons in the Northland is not only seen—it is heard, felt, and remembered. The loon’s cry is woven into that experience, as much a part of summer as the setting sun.

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you… Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?” — Job 12:7–9

The loon’s call reminds us that creation speaks, inviting us to listen.