Maine Audubon’s annual loon count will be held from 7-7:30 a.m.  July 16.

Volunteers for the annual event, which has been held for about 40 years, head out in skiffs, kayaks, and pontoon boats to tally the number Common Loons they see the half hour. Last year, volunteers counted 328 loons on Maine lakes.

Maine Audubon uses the volunteers’ count to estimate the annual population and track population trends over the years. The information helps biologists, state officials, and Maine lake users understand more about the loons’ status and the health of Maine’s lakes.

More information about the annual loon count can be found at maineaudubon.org/projects/loons.