After reading the November 12 column, Ruth Blakney contacted me to let me know she had done a little more research into loon relocation. Ruth lives in Brooklyn, CT but has spent summers in western Maine since she was nine.

Ruth did additional research on the Fall River, MA bird which was relocated from upstate New York and successfully raised a chick with its mate this past summer. After multiple attempts, Ruth connected with Gina Purtell, Director at Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary, a property managed by Mass Audubon. Gina shared the horror of getting a call in April of 2003 informing her a Bouchard barge had run aground, ruptured and spilled 98,000 gallons of oil along the southern Massachusetts coast. Gina rushed to the shoreline and, with others, worked to save the thousands of oil-soaked birds struggling to get out of the water. April is a particularly bad time for an oil spill. Southern New England coasts are a gathering place for thousands of migrating ducks, shorebirds and loons. In spite of efforts of those like Gina, thousands of birds were oiled with over 500 loons known to have died. Surely other fatalities went undocumented.

Since most Maine loons (winter plumage photo by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren) spend their winters along the New England coasts, it’s entirely possible that birds from our area were impacted. This accident illustrates how a trouble in one area can have a far-reaching impact.

From Ruth’s research, I also learned that some of the clean-up funds Bouchard paid after this spill is being used to support the loon relocation program. A young loon relocated to a new pond is captive-fed until it’s able to fend for itself. It’s then released in time for it to make its first migratory flight to the Atlantic coast. Scientists believe that it is during this first flight that its new home-pond is imprinted on the loon. From then on, it returns each spring.

Restoring loons to their original range isn’t just a nice idea. It is actually a way of strengthening, even growing, their overall population. Because of their territoriality, most Maine and New Hampshire ponds can only host one breeding pair of loons. Re-establishing young birds on non-loon inhabited ponds in Massachusetts and other parts of their original range means the potential for more loons throughout a larger area. This builds resilience, even decreasing the impact one accident like the Bouchard spill can have.

Thank you to Ruth for her research. It’s nice to fill in the gaps. It also shows that we all, both people and loons, live in a small and interconnected world. So, let’s take care of it for our sake and for theirs.

 

James Reddoch, of Albany Township and Boston, leads birding events for the Mahoosuc Land Trust. Visit Mahoosuc Land Trust at 162 North Road, Bethel, ME. To learn more, visit www.mahoosuc.org. To contact James, send your emails to info@mahoosuc.org.

Copy the Story Link

Comments are not available on this story.