My report about 2 Red-necked Grebes grounded north of Ingersoll in the
last few days has already stimulated one email about other grounded
Red-necked Grebes in the last week or so. Three were "recently" brought
into the vet college in Guelph and [via that correspondent] a few were
brought into a rehab centre in Toronto "mainly last week". I have attached
that email from Ady Gancz who made some additional interesting
comments. If I receive more emails I will collate them and send them out
in a package.
Dave Martin
Harrietsville, ON
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2004 14:57:33 -0500
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: Dave Martin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: grounded Red-necked Grebes
Dave,
I am an avian vet working in the vet college in Guelph. Our Wild Bird clinic
recently saw 3 "grounded" RNGs. None had physical injuries but had
abnormalities on blood work consistant with muscle damage and one was
emaciated. Last year we had 4 RNGs with similar presentation. They all
come in
within 24-48h typically and after that we may not see one for a long time.
I think temperature and visibility conditions have a lot to do with it.
Toronto
wildlife rehab center also got a few recently (we are talking about last week
mainly).
Hope this bit of data is helpful.
Ady Gancz
Ady Gancz, DVM, MSc
DVSc student Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine
The Ontario Veterinary College
U of Guelph
Quoting Dave Martin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
> 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]>
>
> Visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm for information on leaving
> and joining the list. As well as general information and content
> guidelines.
>
Dave Martin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm for information on leaving
and joining the list. As well as general information and content
guidelines.
