-
Death of a red-throated loon
Posted on December 31st, 2009 5 comments Add a comment >>A red-throated loon was found injured with a badly broken wing near Old Forge Pond two days before the annual Audubon Christmas Count in the Old Forge region. Red-throated loons, which breed in Alaska and northern Canada, are considerably smaller than the common loons found in the Adirondacks. The bird apparently hit a power line. It was put to sleep.
The injured loon. Photo by Gary Lee.
On the count day, observers spotted 803 birds, representing nineteen species. New birds included six tufted titmouse, seen at feeders, and wild turkey (forty-two, in all). Seven more species were seen during the week of the count but not on the count day itself.
I saw a barred owl the day after the count, on the Woodcraft Camp ski trails. This week I had one at my feeder during the evening, trying to catch mice that come out after the dropped seeds. This bird has been back several nights, so the hunting must be good. Many things roam around in the night world that we never see.
5 responses to “Death of a red-throated loon”
-
Brings back good memories of birding while living and working on the former Plattsburgh AFB in the late 80s. I remember tenting in our yard on the base (right next to Lake Champlain) and hearing a common loon calling from the lake. My wife and I got our start in birding at the ADK Mt. Club’s Loj, with Mark Gretch as our leader. Those were great days.
-
Hey man. Sending this from a Mobile. thanks! very helpful post!! like the template btw
-
Gale Norman March 6th, 2010 at 16:35
So sad about the loon. Death a common thing but difficult to read about, hear about be around. Article says the redthroated loon found in Old Forge area not common to the area.
It must have gotten separated from it’s group somehow? Would this be correct? -
Once I initially commented I clicked the -Notify me when new feedback are added- checkbox and now each time a remark is added I get four emails with the identical comment. Is there any means you’ll be able to remove me from that service? Thanks!
Leave a reply
-
Profile
Name: Gary
Bio: Gary Lee is a passionate birder and naturalist who worked as a New York State forest ranger for thirty-five years, mostly in the Moose River Plains and West Canada Lakes Wilderness. With John M.C. Peterson, he coauthored Adirondack Birding: 60 Great Places to Find Birds, distributed by the Adirondack Mountain Club. He has written a weekly newspaper column, often focusing on birds and other wildlife, since 1986, first for the Adirondack Express, later for Adirondack Weekly. His photographs of birds have appeared in the Adirondack Explorer and other publications. Gary is a graduate of the New York State Ranger School in Wanakena. He lives in Inlet with his wife, Karen. They have three children and four grandchildren.
Alan Gregory January 14th, 2010 at 11:44