When I was camping a couple of summers ago at Sampson Lake in West Canada Lake Wilderness, all was silent in the dark night but the unforgettable calls of a pair of a loons.

Even someone with a tin ear for bird calls knew what they were hearing. It felt as if it was just me and the loons on that lake – maybe in the entire world. Visitors and residents of the Adirondacks have experienced that feeling of connectedness since time immemorial.

But just like so many other things, a warming climate presents new threats to the iconic species. The Explorer’s new climate change reporter Cayte Bosler examined how climate change may threaten loons in the coming years. From “molt-migration mismatch” that makes loons vulnerable to getting iced-in to torrential rain increasing lake levels, conservationists are working to respond to a variety of risks.

My reporting took me to Split Rock Mountain Wild Forest last week. Photographer Mike Lynch and I hiked down to the shore of one of the area’s bays before going back to a ridge with incredible views of Lake Champlain and across to Vermont’s Green Mountains.

The views from high above the lake reminded me of hikes on rocky northern coastlines, looking down into deep green waters. I highly recommend it.

ALSO:

• Residents near a recently-approved quarry are suing the Adirondack Park Agency and questioning why the agency didn’t hold a once-typical adjudicatory hearing for the controversial project.

• North County law enforcement officers participated in training about how to address racial bias and other challenges of policing diverse communities.

• Did you hear about all those pet adoptions during the pandemic? It’s a thing.

Editor’s note: This first appeared in Zach’s weekly “Water Line” newsletter. Click here to sign up.