Maine Audubon, the state’s oldest and largest nonprofit conservation group, held its annual loon count Saturday with more than 800 volunteers in various lakes and ponds.

The count was held from 7-7:30 a.m. Boat-bound volunteers across the state looked across the blue waters for the familiar white chest of the gavia immer, or common loon, and recorded the location on a map. Larger lakes were divided into sections for multiple volunteer teams to cover.

Part of Little Sebago Lake was covered by husband-and-wife team Helen and Rus Sternberg. Since 2000, they have been loon counters. They look for adult loons, chicks and nests.

“It’s better to have another set of eyes,” said Helen Sternberg. She and her husband are semi-retired real estate brokers and live on the Gray side of the lake.

“This little island has been a nesting island,” she said while pointing at a little green patch of land festooned with trees. “But I haven’t seen any there this year, not to mention the fact that people have been camping on it.”

“That’s a female,” Rus Sternberg said confidently while pointing out the only loon the couple saw that day. He said he can tell by the size of the bird.

Helen Sternberg said she saw three loons the previous day, when the surface of the lake was like glass.

“When it’s choppy, it’s harder to see them,” she said. On Saturday, the surface of the lake was rough.

“This is the least amount we’ve ever seen, we normally get four or five,” said Rus Sternberg.

The results of the count will take loon count coordinator Susan Gallo months to calculate before she announces the estimated Maine loon population. The result of last year’s count came out in February.

Elyse Tipton, communications director for Maine Audubon, said the lakes in Maine fall into seven classes by size.

“To determine the population estimate each year,” said Tipton, “Susan Gallo averages the counts of adults and chicks across a subset of lakes in each class size, then uses that average to extrapolate a total number for each class size. Added together, these produce the population estimate.”

Last year Gallo estimated that Maine has 2,595 adults and 141 chicks.

Looncount1: Helen Sternberg of Gray jots down the path her boat takes during Maine Audubon annual loon count, held the third Saturday of July.Looncount2: Helen Sternberg of Gray looks for loons during Maine Audubon annual loon count, held the third Saturday of July.Looncount3: Last year Maine Audubon estimated the loon population of Maine to be 2,595 adults and 141 chicks.