I got a call from my "contact" at my local city hall this afternoon stating
there had been a report of a very aggressive water fowl on the small city
fishing pond & could I please let them know what it is & if anything  needed to
be done about it.  Went straight over & could hardly believe  my eyes but there
it was...a juvenile common loon!  The locals who fish  there often said it
had been there since early April.  Most people did not  know what it was, though
a few did but no one seemed taken by the fact that this  is a VERY unusual
bird to find on such a small pond, especially in June!   But the probability is
that the pond is too small for him to be able to get a  long enough run to
take off.

Came home & started making some calls to see if he can be rescued   & taken
to a larger body of water.  That process is still in the works  & now time is
becoming more critical.  At 2:00 this afternoon, he was  swimming & diving &
catching bait as people tried to fish.  We went  back later to get some pictures
& found him sitting on the bank.  There  is fishing line wrapped around at
least 1 leg & part of his body & some  more line hanging from his mouth, which
indicates he has a hook in his  mouth.  So now he will require at least some
rehabilitation before  release.

So if anyone wants to see a Common Loon in northeastern Ohio in June, make  a
quick trip to Louisville.  South on SR 44 from SR 62.  Turn right at  the BP
station onto SR 153.  Go west on 153 (Main St.) to the 1st street  past the
Dairy Queen on the north side of the street.  Turn right into  Constitution Park
and the pond.

I am hoping we can get him rescued sometime tomorrow but it may take a few
good hands.

Laura Dornan
Louisville



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