Injured Loon Update!

 This email came from Gretchen Farnsworth yesterday:

Hi Jane,

Below is an email from Eric about the loon that was sent to Maine.

From Eric:
Update on the loon from last week.
X-rays revealed a swivel in the gizzard but vets don't think that is causing any problems. No hook.  I need to ask what they think happened to whatever was attached to the swivel; hooks will dissolve within a week or two in the acids.  No wounds found.   Currently in a pool being cared for to see if it can start keeping waterproofed on its own.   I'll send more when I hear an update.

eric

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It is good to know that the loon has made it so far ok. I don't suppose anyone knows how it could be that the bird picked up a swivel (normally attached to fishing line). I wonder if it could have been on the bottom - or in a fish that was so badly hooked the fisherman cut the line and threw the fish back into the water and then the loon came along and gobbled it up. At least there seems to be no internal injury from the hooks that would have been attached to the swivel. Or, perhaps the swivel wasn't properly attached to the fishing line and simply let go when a fish grabbed it. We will probably never know exactly, but if anyone has any thoughts, please pass them on to Gretchen or me and she will relay the information to Eric. 

We have just had a very gentle but steady rain pass through. I don't know exactly when it began, but I think in the wee hours of the morning. I didn't hear any thunder here, but I think in some areas there was a little thunder/lightning activity. And no exceptional wind. We needed the rain and everything seems green and fresh now.  By afternoon, we should have the sun back, but it's going to be cooler. The last two days have been pretty hot, but I enjoyed being on my porch listening to the birds. There seem to be many, many more birds around this year than years before, but that could be because I'm out of the house more this summer, either working outside or relaxing on the porch. I have some very loud house wrens, many robins, cedar waxwings, jays, vireos, and a lot of others I haven't a clue about. And then there are the crows. Very vocal and probably many are juveniles chattering. Did you know that baby and juvenile crows have blue eyes? I came across that recently on the Cornell University website. So much good information there.

The weather is changing, and it's about lunch time. It looks as if I might be able to get outside to work for a bit once things have dried off. I need to finish clipping my hedge and other chores around the place outside. 

By the way - several people who attended the supper a week ago Saturday at the JPA pavilion  have tested positive with Covid this past week. Nobody is reporting being very sick, but if you are having symptoms that seem like a cold, better do some testing so you don't spread it to someone whose immunity is somehow compromised, or who for whatever reason has not been able to be vaccinated. Please be careful, hanging out at home or masking is always preferable to taking chances.