Ross Snider of Tamarack Raptor Rehab Centre in Ingersoll has received two
calls on grounded Red-necked Grebes in the past couple of days. The first
was a bird grounded in Listowel on Jan 17. The bird had to be
euthanized. The second bird was a picked up in Stratford on Jan 19 and
released into Trout Creek which stays open in winter and is downstream from
Wildwood Dam near Stratford.
These groundings are consistent with calls Ross has received over the years
in mid to late January when the upper Great Lakes start to freeze, which
depends, of course, on prolonged cold spells and varies from year to year
and sometimes not at all. In the October 2003 OFO News, Ron Tozer wrote
about this phenomena and attributed the grounding of Red-necked Grebes in
early winter (Dec to early Feb) to the "frozen out theory". The reasoning
behind this theory is that some Red-necked Grebes overwinter on the upper
great lakes, likely away from shore or in previously unknown
locations. When the lakes begin to freeze they leave in desperation and
fly in almost any direction to look for open water. Many are grounded on
land when they run out of steam and are often found on roads and parking
lots which they may mistake for water. Enough have been noted over the
years [a few most winters and many some winters] to stimulate Ron's recent
article, but as he states, there is not yet enough quantitative evidence to
solve this mystery.
Dave Martin/Ross Snider
Harrietsville, ON
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Dave Martin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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