Williston Loon Free

After two months of being "stuck" on a water retention pond at Tafts Corners, the Williston loon is free this morning, now roaming Lake Champlain. The Vermont Center for Ecostudies conservation biologist, Eric Hanson, put together a capture crew last night and successfully netted the loon from a small boat.

For the past two months, the loon appeared healthy, preening, resting, and feeding on 1000s of goldfish, but it was apparent that it would not be easy for the loon to fly off this pond with a fence, powerlines, and buildings surrounding it. It was time to try to catch it.

At first the loon started diving when we approached using a million candlepower spotlight. Spotlighting makes it difficult for the loon to see the boat, allowing the capture boat to get close. However, free swimming loons often sense trouble and just start diving anytime the spotlight hits it. The Williston loon was no different. Hanson, coordinator of the Vermont Loon Recovery Project, then started playing yodels, the male territorial call, from a tape player. The loon likely perceived this as a threat (or "where did this loon come" from after being alone for two months). It worked. The loon stayed on surface longer. We boated within 15 feet of the bird, but it was still just out of reach. After a few more failed approaches, we came slowly up from behind and netted the bird with a 10 foot handled net.

We wanted to put color bands on the legs, but the legs were too small for the bands used on New England loons. Back in May, it was likely this loon was on its way to central or northern Quebec, where loons are smaller. We drove down to the ECHO Center on the Burlington waterfront and set the loon free.

Seven volunteers were there to help, mainly with plan B, which involved using a gill net to pen the bird into a smaller area. We're very glad we did not have to use plan B. Jim Wallace manned the electric trolling motor and Shannon Maes, Sterling College intern, did the spotlighting. Maeve Kim, Carl Runge, Jim Morris, and Bruce MacPherson helped hold the loon, carry equipment, and were ready create the smaller holding pen. Gail Osherenko and her partner Oran filmed the capture. Video footage will be placed on her blog site soon at www.Vermontloonblog.wordpress.com. Two Williston police officers provided security (and we provided entertainment).