Loons rescued from NH lakes after cold snap

Feb. 10—Seven loons trapped by ice on two of New Hampshire's largest lakes have been safely rescued and released into the Atlantic Ocean.

Wildlife biologists involved in the rescue say last weekend's extreme cold caused the big lakes to finally ice over, trapping the large birds on the ice.

Biologists from the Loon Preservation Committee (LPC), with help from the Tuftonboro Fire Department, rescued six birds from Lake Winnipesaukee and one from Newfound Lake last week.

It's a vulnerable time of year for these beloved birds.

Harry Vogel, executive director and senior biologist at LPC, said the length of daylight typically cues loons to move to open ocean for the winter. But climate change may be confusing those signals.

"Those, we think, unfortunately are being overridden by the fact that it's warm out, and the water is open and the fish are plentiful, so these loons decide they're going to stay for a bit," Vogel said.

It's a potentially deadly mistake, he said.

This time of year, loons molt their primary and secondary feathers, leaving them flightless for four to six weeks.

So when the ice finally closes in, "The loons will decide it's time to go ... only to find out they can't take off anymore," Vogel said.

Last Sunday night, concerned residents who live on Newfound Lake reported that a loon had been forced up onto the ice there, and LPC biologists rescued the bird at dawn the following morning.

LPC teams then began checking the other big lakes for trapped birds.

Later that day, they discovered six loons that had become trapped in ice near Tuftonboro Neck on Lake Winnipesaukee. One was close to shore and could be rescued, but the others were further out and the ice was too thin for rescuers to safely maneuver.

The Tuftonboro Fire Department sent its airboat and personnel to the scene to help out, and the rescuers captured three birds. The next day, the last two loons were rescued.

The loons, which had not been eating and were showing signs of stress, were evaluated and X-rayed by a veterinarian and then taken to Maria Colby, a wildlife rehabilitator, for feeding and observation. When the loons were deemed healthy, LPC biologists banded the birds and released them into the ocean, Vogel said.

"Once we fed them up, we were able to release all of them into the wild, which is always our goal," he said.

Vogel praised the team effort that saved all seven birds, including Colby, the staff at VCA Capital Area Veterinary Emergency and Specialty, and members of the Tuftonboro fire department.

The loons were banded so that biologists can recognize them if they return to fresh water, Vogel said.

Last year, LPC rescued 10 loons from iced-in lakes, and six were later seen on New Hampshire lakes, Vogel said. Of those, four were part of territorial pairs, and two had chicks.

Vogel said there are multiple reasons for rescuing these creatures.

First, he said, "It's a humanitarian thing, because these birds are suffering.

"They're stressed; they're not eating well," he said. "Your heart goes out to these loons and you want to rescue them."

But it's also LPC's mission to protect and restore New Hampshire's loon population, which has been adversely affected by humans, notably from lead fishing tackle, which is toxic to loons when they ingest them.

"We know now when we rescue these birds, they actually continue to be productive members of the loon population," Vogel said. "We're actually helping the continued recovery of that population in a very tangible way."

LPC warns that ice rescues are difficult and dangerous and the public should not attempt them. Instead, anyone who spots an iced-in loon should call LPC at 603-476-5666.

For more, visit www.loon.org.