Misty Flight by Wilhelm J. Goebel

Misty Flight - Loon

Misty Flight - Loon
by Wilhelm J. Goebel
14 ¾" by 37 ¼"
Framed Size 24¾" by 47¼"

Conservation Framing
Each double mat may vary from print to print according to which frame you choose. If you would like to
have a particular color of mat just email sales@watsonswildlife.com to place your order. The best matching color is used for
each individual print and is not always the color shown here.

Each print is framed using Conservation Acid Free & Lignin Free, Alkaline pH buffered mat board & backing.
We use non glare glass, You may call us to request regular glass if you like, Other styles of glass are available.
In conservation framing, We use only Museum Quality materials and procedures that will have no adverse
effects on a piece of artwork and will protect the artwork from external damage.

The loon is to many people a symbol of our northern wilderness; it is also a very popular subject for artists, including myself. Not long ago, I wanted to do a painting of a loon which showed this bird in a unique and exciting way. Almost immediately I ruled out portraying the bird on the water, this image has been artistically exhausted. I chose to show the bird on the wing, emphasizing the power of its flight through the use of sleek lines and strong yet relatively simple composition. Here, after a long take-off run across the surface, the bird has just become airbourne-its missile shaped profile cutting through the rising mist.

The common loon (Gavia immer) is anything but common. Red-eyed, with distinctive black and white markings, the loon has a dagger like beak that apparently is perfect for its long, underwater fishing trips. The loon is most closely related to primitive birds, and its soliloquy of cries can sound eerily prehistoric. It is silent in winter, but in summer the loon is truly loquacious, with a repertoire of sounds that haunt the lake or waterway with strange laughter-like calls, falsetto wails and strange yodeling. At night, the effect is absolutely mesmerizing.

True to its reclusive and solitary nature, the loon prefers a secluded lake or estuary. This bird is an excellent swimmer and can stay underwater for minutes, but its life on land is another story; larger than most ducks, and with its feet well toward its tail, the loon is extremely awkward and most vulnerable on land. As a result, the loon nests as close to the water as possible, nearly throwing itself out of the nest and into the water. Graceful in the water and in flight, they are almost comical on take-offs and landing. Their size (an adult is about 2 feet or 60 cm long), solid bone structure and weight distribution (8 to10 pounds or 3.6 to 4.5 kg) result in thrashing water take-offs that can last 100s of feet. The loon's landing is nothing so much as a controlled crash-glide.

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