[TN-Bird] Beaman Park Common Loon rescued

From: "Scott Somershoe" <Scott.Somershoe@xxxxxx>
To: "TN-birds" <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 07 Apr 2011 16:06:41 -0500

This morning a few of us went out to try to catch the common loon stuck in
Little Marrowbone Creek in Beaman Park, Davidson Co. that Tony Lance had
reported on yesterday. Polly Rooker, Ed Schneider, Tony Lance, and I met one
of our TWRA videographers (Jason Harmon) at the site to try to catch the bird
and transport it to Old Hickory Lake. The creek was about 15 feet wide and no
more than 2 feet deep with shallow "ends" about 50 feet apart, so this bird
couldn't get airborne and couldn't get away from us. Within 2 minutes Ed had
fallen in the creek. The bird dove constantly in the shallows and we managed
to get it to swim towards me near a shallow gravel spot. The bird swam right
into my big dip net. We quickly got it to dry land and secured the bird safely
in a kennel for the short trip to Old Hickory Lake. If you were wondering, I
stuck a cloth bird bag over its head and cinched down the string, which calmed
the bird down significantly. I was surprised at how calm the bird was in hand
and in the kennel.

We managed to release the bird, which appeared to be fat and healthy, at the
end of Cinder Rd by the south end of Old Hickory Dam. The bird flapped across
the water, came to a stop and stretched its wings, called a few times (which we
assumed was a thank you), and dove. The bird worked its way around the area
and seemed quite content with being on big water again. There were a few other
loons around to hang out with too.

If interested, Ed has posted a few photos here:
http://www.edschneiderphotography.com/Category/Beaman-Park-Loon/16518305_BmooT#1243464101_QFBmb

We have video footage of the event, which should be quite amusing to watch.
I'll post that when it is edited and available.

Good "in-hand" birding!
Scott Somershoe

State Ornithologist
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
P.O. Box 40747
Nashville, TN 37204
615-781-6653 (o)
www.tnwatchablewildlife.org
www.pbase.com/shoeman

=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================

The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with
first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation.
You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds
you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should
appear in the first paragraph.
_____________________________________________________________
To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_____________________________________________________________
To unsubscribe, send email to:
tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
______________________________________________________________
TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society
Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s)
endorse the views or opinions expressed
by the members of this discussion group.

Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
------------------------------
Assistant Moderator Andy Jones
Cleveland, OH
-------------------------------
Assistant Moderator Dave Worley
Rosedale, VA
--------------------------------
Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan
Clarksville, TN
__________________________________________________________

Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

ARCHIVES
TN-Bird Net Archives at //www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/

MAP RESOURCES
Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif
Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com

_____________________________________________________________

[TN-Bird] Beaman Park Common Loon rescued

Other related posts: