Visiting the Loon Center

While vacation in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, we took some time one day to visit The Loon Center in Moultonborough, NH. Tucked back some less traveled roads, the center serves as both The Loon Preservation Committee's, LPC, headquarters and a public education center.

The visitor center was amazing. We learned a great deal about loons and the work of the LPC.

The center spilled over with activities for everyone.

An artificial loon nesting raft was placed along one wall. Children of all ages were encouraged to use the provided supplies to make their own loon nest.

Another display featured a sound box. Various buttons could be pressed to play the distinct sounds of a loon. After our visit, we ended up purchasing a loon flute. With it, we can reproduce some of the sounds of the loon. We used it for a few days afterward as we sat beside the lake. 

The center has plenty of literature about the LPC. One visual that caught my eye was a map displaying the flight patterns of several loons the LPC tracks in their seasonal migrations.

The center has a few more gems, including scavenger hunts and puzzles for youngsters, a display on lead and loons, and a twenty minute informative video.

Overall, our family learned a lot about loons, their behavior, and their needs. After our visit to the center we took a walk through part of The Markus Wildlife Sanctuary to look for loons. I'll share about our nature walk later in the week.

Meanwhile, I have been looking for additional activities and learning resources for loons to share with our children. Since our visit to the center, we've all have a loon crush to varying degrees.

Educational Sites about Loons:
All About Birds: Common Loon
Common Loon: Journey North
Nat Geo: Common Loon
Northland College: Learn about Loons
Voices: Common Loon - video
Common Loon Mother and Baby - video



For more information about LPC visit: Loon Preservation Committee