[cayugabirds-l] Unsuccessful loon attempt
My apologies for this late report about the adult Common Loon that was found feeding and swimming near the Goetchius Preserve on Flat Iron Road. (by Karen Allaben-Confer) For three days, the loon seemed healthy and was feeding vigorously on perhaps small fish, tadpoles, other water critters - we could see it diving, swallowing, bill dipping in the turbid water. The creek is runoff from the wetland on the west side of Flat Iron Rd, and was high and rapid from the latest rain storm. John (Confer) visited the loon several times and notice that when it was flapping its wings, one of the wings was bent as if sprained and there was no hope that the loon would be able to fly out of the creek. Our original plan was to capture the loon and relocate it in the Goetchius wetland where there was a longer runway for the loon's extended run along the water and take-off before it reached the back beaver dam and the forest. John called for help from a wonderful animal rescuer, Victoria Campbell, who agreed to bring a large net. We originally planned to ask a few people to help herd the loon, so-to-speak to a shallow bank near the deep culvert pool. Some years ago, after a major ice storm in the region when grebes, loons, and other birds were found stranded on icy roads or in high water spring streams. The DEC assisted in the rescue of three loons. A group of about 5 people braved the cold water to direct the loons toward a net that was extended across the stream. There were moments when we despaired over the loons diving and avoiding the net. But, in the end, when all of us, the DEC people, and the loons were tired, the loons were caught and placed in animal crates and boxes. A DEC official, John and I, and Sandy Podulka drove the loons to Dryden Lake and released them. It was very exciting and a great relief to watch the loons dive into the water and disappear, then, rise out of the water some distance away. I am sorry to report that the fate of the Flat Iron Rd. Loon does not have such a happy ending. While the loon seemed robust and healthy, we could not direct it into the net, even with several people waist deep in the stream trying to guide it to the net. It dove around the out wash of the culvert and would swim underwater to pop up behind us. We tried to drive the bird toward the shallows to one shore, but it was clever in evading us. In the end, we decided to not stress and tire the loon. We climbed back to the bank along the stream and watched for the loon to reappear. It did not and we assume that it continued to ride the strong current downstream to a culvert which would direct it further downstream. The stream is part of the Upper Susquehanna River system, but it shallows out in numerous sites as it flows west southwest. If the loon can make its way through the shallow sections and rest and feed in deeper pools downstream, then it might be able to reach the Susquehanna and find deeper waters. However, this sends the bird further from its northward flight. The loon was an adult and except for its injured wing was in spectacular plumage. It was alert and strong with its legs, but we believe there was no hope for it to soon take off to fly north. John and I mourned that there are is a large coyote pack in the Flat Iron valley, but we don't know if they would know of the loon's presence or if they would enter the stream to try to reach it. If the loon can find plentiful food sourceswell, you are now understanding the situation which seems hopeless at this point. This is a sad tale and I am sorry to report it. Perhaps if we had recruited more people, we would eventually have herded the loon to a shallow shoreline where catching it would have been much easier, or we might just have stressed it more without any success. Perhaps a seine across a narrow portion of the creek would have worked. Now, we are puzzling how the loon was injured in the first place. Was it shot? Was it blown down by gusty winds during the rain storms? Did it aim to land on the stream as it tired from a long migration from the south and simply crash landed on the shoreline before entering the water - injuring its wing in the process? We will never know. We are grateful to those who came out on a Sunday morning to help rescue the loon. You will all empathize with the very depressed group who had high hopes of saving this beautiful diver, rehabilitating it, and releasing it to continue its flight north. Later, as we sipped hot chocolate in our sunroom, each person declared how dreadfully sad they felt. This handsome bird had finally reached maturity and was heading north toward its first breeding year. After young loons make their first migration, they return by increments to their northern natal lakes. That is, the young loons take up to three years or so to make their final flight to breed on northern lakes and large ponds. They winter along the coast of North America
Re: [cayugabirds-l] Unsuccessful loon attempt
Thank you to Karen, John and Victoria for their compassion, and willingness to be heartbroken as they attempted this. Let us all maintain just a little hope and a spiritual moment of prayer for this being. Any of us would have come to help, but the outcome is never guaranteed no matter what. Linda On Mon, Apr 18, 2011 at 3:42 PM, John Confer con...@ithaca.edu wrote: My apologies for this late report about the adult Common Loon that was found feeding and swimming near the Goetchius Preserve on Flat Iron Road. (by Karen Allaben-Confer) For three days, the loon seemed healthy and was feeding vigorously on perhaps small fish, tadpoles, other water critters - we could see it diving, swallowing, bill dipping in the turbid water. The creek is runoff from the wetland on the west side of Flat Iron Rd, and was high and rapid from the latest rain storm. John (Confer) visited the loon several times and notice that when it was flapping its wings, one of the wings was bent as if sprained and there was no hope that the loon would be able to fly out of the creek. Our original plan was to capture the loon and relocate it in the Goetchius wetland where there was a longer runway for the loon's extended run along the water and take-off before it reached the back beaver dam and the forest. John called for help from a wonderful animal rescuer, Victoria Campbell, who agreed to bring a large net. We originally planned to ask a few people to help herd the loon, so-to-speak to a shallow bank near the deep culvert pool. Some years ago, after a major ice storm in the region when grebes, loons, and other birds were found stranded on icy roads or in high water spring streams. The DEC assisted in the rescue of three loons. A group of about 5 people braved the cold water to direct the loons toward a net that was extended across the stream. There were moments when we despaired over the loons diving and avoiding the net. But, in the end, when all of us, the DEC people, and the loons were tired, the loons were caught and placed in animal crates and boxes. A DEC official, John and I, and Sandy Podulka drove the loons to Dryden Lake and released them. It was very exciting and a great relief to watch the loons dive into the water and disappear, then, rise out of the water some distance away. I am sorry to report that the fate of the Flat Iron Rd. Loon does not have such a happy ending. While the loon seemed robust and healthy, we could not direct it into the net, even with several people waist deep in the stream trying to guide it to the net. It dove around the out wash of the culvert and would swim underwater to pop up behind us. We tried to drive the bird toward the shallows to one shore, but it was clever in evading us. In the end, we decided to not stress and tire the loon. We climbed back to the bank along the stream and watched for the loon to reappear. It did not and we assume that it continued to ride the strong current downstream to a culvert which would direct it further downstream. The stream is part of the Upper Susquehanna River system, but it shallows out in numerous sites as it flows west southwest. If the loon can make its way through the shallow sections and rest and feed in deeper pools downstream, then it might be able to reach the Susquehanna and find deeper waters. However, this sends the bird further from its northward flight. The loon was an adult and except for its injured wing was in spectacular plumage. It was alert and strong with its legs, but we believe there was no hope for it to soon take off to fly north. John and I mourned that there are is a large coyote pack in the Flat Iron valley, but we don't know if they would know of the loon's presence or if they would enter the stream to try to reach it. If the loon can find plentiful food sourceswell, you are now understanding the situation which seems hopeless at this point. This is a sad tale and I am sorry to report it. Perhaps if we had recruited more people, we would eventually have herded the loon to a shallow shoreline where catching it would have been much easier, or we might just have stressed it more without any success. Perhaps a seine across a narrow portion of the creek would have worked. Now, we are puzzling how the loon was injured in the first place. Was it shot? Was it blown down by gusty winds during the rain storms? Did it aim to land on the stream as it tired from a long migration from the south and simply crash landed on the shoreline before entering the water - injuring its wing in the process? We will never know. We are grateful to those who came out on a Sunday morning to help rescue the loon. You will all empathize with the very depressed group who had high hopes of saving this beautiful diver, rehabilitating it, and releasing it to continue its flight north. Later, as we sipped hot chocolate in our sunroom, each person declared how dreadfully sad they felt.
