I’d Rather Be Wright II: Saving an entangled loon of Sunset Lake

By David Wright

A juvenile loon entangled in fishing line.

For years there have been a pair of loons that have made Sunset Lake their home and nursery for their chicks. It is always a spectacle as the family does their rituals of nesting, diving for fish, talking in great warbling songs, and ultimately giving it their all to get the youngsters on their way. There is always drama, most of it involving the local eagles who also see the young hatchlings and later fledglings as a food source. It is a hit-or-miss deal, but it has been common for the two chicks to find their way south.

Watching them learning to dive, then run across the water readying themselves for lift off is a sight to behold. The elegant large waterfowl have become an icon. As with all birds, there are more perils than just the local raptors and land-based predators. There are humans and their leavings and, in this particular story, fishermen.

Somewhat unknowingly, local anglers either lose their hard-to-see lines to snags and occasional large fish. Other fishermen carelessly leave extra or abandoned line on the shoreline or simply toss it in the water. Last fall, a juvenile loon managed to get itself caught up in a mass of discarded monofilament line leaving it helpless, unable to dive properly or practice flight.

Fortunately, Kathie Plaisance, along with a group of friends, reported the situation to Linda and Kevin at Loon Rescue in Antigo, and they in turn rounded up Janet and Dave Eschenbauch, local birders, to confirm the situation. While they were not able to get close enough for confirmation, they brought in Tom Weaver, a local wildlife photographer, to paddle out and confirm with photos the entanglement of the still-elusive juvenile loon.

Loon Rescue was summoned, along with their rescue boat, but being well into the evening they waited for the next day to attempt the capture. During the wait time, Karen Dostel, Jane Peterson, and others kept a vigil. In daylight hours during the following day, the young loon was still able to elude them so it was decided to wait until night to make the next effort.

Under the cover of darkness and with the aid of lights they were able to capture the much-entangled loon. Once secured, the young loon was taken immediately to Raptor Education Group where Marge and Cahak Gibson were waiting. The line was quickly removed and the bird x-rayed to make sure it was in good health. Once cleared and resting, it managed to gobble down every minnow tossed its way. Shortly thereafter, it was returned to Sunset Lake where, in great fanfare, it was released to go about its journey. As an interesting side note, on return to Sunset Lake, the loon was placed in an opaque container for its calming effect on the frightened bird. Once close to the lake, but still in the container, the juvenile let out his call obviously aware he was returning home.

As the bird immediately dove into the depths of the lake, the assembled volunteers rejoiced as one of the lake’s icons was home again. While the efforts of the local community are to be admired and appreciated, it also has to be noted that fishermen have a great responsibility to retrieve all line and even pick up all debris left in and around the lakes to prevent these types of problems.

As a tribute to the young loon and its perilous start in life, Jane Peterson penned the following poem.

Baby

By Jane Crawford Peterson

From the moment they hatch

I cheer for them to live.

Downy little loon

riding on her mother’s back.

I am in way over my head in

sacred water that held me

when my son died.

The otter and the loon

are mothers of my kind.

Keep them on your back

ride them across the wide

wild bay on your belly.

Then teach them to dive

their lives depend on it.

You will always be next to

my beating heart, but if I fail,

if you can’t catch your

own fish, my love is nothing.

Wake up to the gift,

Motherhood should shine fierce.

Claim your lake,

Claim your own.

Follow me to the deep.

The pressure keeps your lungs

able to expand; take a deep breath

it’s what keeps you alive.

I have no patience for carelessness.

Abandoned hooks and fishing line.

Baby needed to be rescued from entanglement.

Like so many of us.

Covered in a box she could not see through,

brought back near the nest

She knew.

For the first time in a dozen days,

Her primordial throat opened,

the call like no other.

Protect what we can’t yet name

The dive to the deep.