Loon Ranger and Loon Citizen Science Workshop
LoonWatch is teaming up with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource’s Northwood’s Loon Protection Program to offer a full day workshop for new and experienced Loon Rangers and Loon Citizen Scientists. The day will include classroom presentations on loon behavior, ecology, and habitat, a step-by-step introduction to entering loon monitoring information on-line, and a field component to learn about observing loons.
Registration is required by Tuesday, April 22nd.
Registration Fee: $10/person (includes lunch)
Where: Kemp Natural Resources Station
9161 Kemp Road
Woodruff WI 54568-9643
When: Saturday, May 10th 9 AM – 3:30 PM
Register by calling LoonWatch at 715-682-1220 or loonwatch@northland.edu
LoonWatch awards funds for botulism E research
ASHLAND, Wis.–The Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute at Northland College is pleased to announce Common Coast Research & Conservation (CCRC) as the recipient of the 2007 Sigurd T. Olson Loon Research Award for its proposal “Evaluating the scope and scale of common loon mortalities associated with botulism E outbreaks in northern Lake Michigan.” CCRC is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study and protection of common loons and their aquatic habitat. The $2000 award will fund one year of the project and is administered by the LoonWatch program.
“Our research committee felt that this study was long overdue and that it could shed light on changes in local, specific breeding populations,” said Stacy Schaefer, environmental education coordinator for the LoonWatch program. “This project will generate previously unknown information about a significant mortality factor for common loons, and encourages cooperation between citizens and the agencies and groups that will handle future botulism E outbreaks.”
The proposed study will be led by researchers Joseph Kaplan, Damon McCormick and Keren Tischler and the goal of the project is to gain a better understanding of the number of water bird mortalities associated with outbreaks of type E botulism bacteria in northern Lake Michigan. CCRC will develop a uniform method of surveying beaches where large numbers of dead birds have washed ashore and build a network of volunteers and agencies to aid in conducting these surveys. The data collected during the surveys will then be compiled and used to determine the extent of the problem and its potential effects on the common loon population.
Although water bird die-offs due to ingestion of the bacteria have been recorded in the lower Great Lakes since the 1960’s, the frequency and extent of the problem has increased sharply in recent years due to the introduction of exotic species to the Great Lakes and a rise in average water temperature. Botulism E outbreaks are believed to be responsible for the deaths of more than 50,000 water birds since 1999, including some 15,000 common loons. During the field portion of their research Kaplan and the others also will collect and archive loon feather samples for use in ongoing research related to mercury and other stable isotopes.
Report Loon Mortality to WDNR
In response to type E botulism, as well as to better understand other mortality factors in loons, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) will examine all sick or dead loons that are found in Wisconsin. Loons that are sick can exhibit the following symptoms: disorientation, lack of response to threats, trouble diving, bobbing head, and beaching. If you see these signs or observe a dead loon, report it to your local WDNR office. If the office is closed, call the bird hotline at 1-800-433-1610 and provide the following information with a callback number. This information will be forwarded to a local biologist for follow up ASAP.
Record as much information about the incident and site as possible, including:
· date
· location where it was found (lake, township, and county)
· information about the area
· prior observations of the loon
· other loons in the area
· collector's contact information
LoonWatch Newsletter Archive
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