I did not see the loon of two weeks ago so I can't speak to any comparisons
with today's bird. However, I too find it hard to believe two loons would make
the same mistake. I'm still wondering just what kind of mistake was made. It
seems unlikely any loon would try to land or take off from this small area of
water. More likely a loon would land on the other side of the road where there
is much more open water. I wonder, like someone mentioned two weeks ago, if
the original loon was sucked through the culvert pipe, depositing the bird on
the east side of the road. If the pipe diameter is even large enough to pass a
loon this might explain the wing injury. If today's bird is a different loon
the same scenario could explain it's predicament. There is a significant
whirlpool above the culvert on the west side of the road and I saw no sign this
morning that the road was flooded last night, giving a bird the chance to just
swim across the road.
Anyway, just some thoughts...
David McCartt
--- On Thu, 4/28/11, Melissa Groo <melg...@hotmail.com> wrote:
From: Melissa Groo <melg...@hotmail.com>
Subject: RE: [cayugabirds-l] Goetchius Wetland- Common Loon --looks like same
loon as two weeks ago
To: wingmagi...@gmail.com, cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu
Cc: wildthingssanctu...@gmail.com
Date: Thursday, April 28, 2011, 2:46 PM
I wasn't able to observe it for more than 5 minutes, but maybe someone else
might have time in the next day or two to watch it for a bit to see if it
extends its wings (of course absence of impairment would not mean it's not the
original bird, which may have recovered).
Like Kevin, I have a hard time believing another common loon made the same
error.
It is in the small patch of water on the east side of the road, near the
southern tip of the preserve, which is where the other one was found, and last
seen.There doesn't seem to be enough room there for a loon to take off.
Melissa
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 13:47:24 -0400
Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Goetchius Wetland- Common Loon --looks like same
loon as two weeks ago
From: wingmagi...@gmail.com
To: k...@cornell.edu
CC: melg...@hotmail.com; cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu;
wildthingssanctu...@gmail.com
Can anyone tell if this bird is suffering the same impairment of its wing as
the original Loon. That may make this call a little easier.
Also, for people who have observed this present Loon and the environs, is there
a greater expanse of water that will allow the bird to take off this time, if
it is not the injured one?
Thanks.
Linda
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