If you are a Loon Ranger, most likely you are familiar with the name Mike Meyer, who has been doing loon research for the last twenty-five years. If you are a very lucky Loon Ranger living in the northeast Wisconsin counties, you may have witnessed Mike and his crew band* a loon family—part of his mercury research. Meyer recently retired from the Wisconsin DNR as a wildlife toxicologist.

“What has made this a great place to work is the past and present management of Research and Science Services, which has provided the intellectual space, resources, and free rein to assemble a body of work I am thankful to have tackled,” he said.

LoonWatch has been privileged to work closely with Meyer, an internationally recognized source of loon expertise. He has served on the LoonWatch Advisory Council for more than ten years, and plans to continue.

*Leg bands help researchers identify the birds without having to recapture them. Each loon is fitted with a unique band color combination, allowing scientists to identify each loon’s behavior and location.