OHIO-BIRDS Archives

May 2009

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From:
Steve Cagan <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Steve Cagan <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 17 May 2009 14:06:12 -0400
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Hi Bill and all,

Just for your information, the bird in Lakeview Cemetery is in breeding
plumage. It certainly LOOKS fine, but how would I know if it were sick? The
lagoon is more than Palmer's 20 yards in diameter, but still I wonder...

This morning, for the first time, we heard it call a couple of times. It
also rose out of the water and flapped its wings--I wonder if it's preparing
to take off--or wishing it could...

Best wishes,

Steve Cagan
Cleveland Heights


on 5/17/09 1:33 PM, Bill Whan at [log in to unmask] wrote:

> Terry--
>         As Dave Hochadel pointed out, loons are still around Ohio in several
> places. This is normal. Every year a few will even stay all summer;
> these birds are almost never in breeding plumage. Here near Columbus a
> few years back we had a pair of adult-plumaged loons all summer, as well
> as a report they were seen with young: this would have been a first Ohio
> breeding record had it been confirmed.
>         Of course a bird that's injured and cannot fly will stay put, too. As
> long as there's open water and food it will survive, but if it
> doesn't heal nature will take its course. Wounded loons, it is said,
> typically more often resort to dry land on shore, even though they are
> very awkward there. Loons trapped in a small pond have been known to
> half-crawl for long distances to reach larger take-off areas.
>         There is a third possibility. Loons are heavy, and comparatively
> short-winged, with feet placed way back on their bodies; this requires a
> good distance in which to patter along the water's surface--preferably
> into the wind--to get airborne. They apparently cannot take off from
> land, and in the water can't just spring into the air and fly off, like
> a mallard. Palmer says they require a minimum of 20 yards, into a stiff
> breeze. The literature reports that in other circumstances they may need
> as much as 200 yards to get airborne, and high enough to clear trees,
> etc., along the way.
> Bill Whan
> Columbus
>
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-----------

Steve Cagan, photographer
www.stevecagan.com
216-932-2753 (USA)
Current and upcoming activities:
stevecagan.com/contents/currentactivities.html

______________________________________________________________________

Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.

You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
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