unfortunately that loon will not survive if it doesn't get to enough water to take off and fly. as a bird rehabber, i have had many times when a loon needed to be moved to the river or a large pond in order for it to continue it's journey. they land by mistake somewhere like a wet black topped parking lot or in a stream to o small for take off by running along. the parking ot birds often have scrapped up feet.
to attempt the relocation, you need to cover it with a towel and grab the beak to hold it shut and keep it from lunging at you. once you get the beak under control, it is doable.
you cold also call animal control to help or net it if you can locate the bird again.
i am posting this in hopes that someone can find it again and manage to move it to a pond or the canal or whatever. they can move around with wings and feet, but not very well .
Christine Huffman
Great Falls, VA
On May 19, 2013, at 4:20 PM, Bill Hubick <bill_hubick...> wrote:
> Hi Everyone,
>
> Bill Sherman shared this interesting encounter with a Common Loon near Violette's Lock:
>
> I thought you would enjoy hearing about a strange encounter that I experienced today. Jim MacConnell and I were birding this morning on the C&O canal starting at Pennyfield Lock and ending up at Riley's Lock (Seneca). We reached Violette's lock and were heading toward Riley's and were about 500 yards or so from Violettes. I was walking on the towpath, noticing that the canal on my right was filled with tall grass and just a little bit of water. All of a sudden a large bird came shooting out of the grass in the canal directly toward me on the towpath. I thought at first it might have been a Canada Goose trying to protect its nest, but as I backtracked to get away from whatever it was, I saw that it was a Common Loon in full breeding plumage. I was quickly moving backwards and the bird was coming at me moving using its wings and feet. I must have backed up about 25 feet when it finally stopped. It then began to vocalize while sitting on the towpath, making that Loon sound that I have only heard before in the movie On Golden Pond. The Loon stayed on the path calling and as we got closer to it, it began coming at us again. Because it was standing between us and our final destination, Riley's Lock, we needed to do something to get by and not get poked by its long sharp bill. Jim found a leafy branch and held the Loon at bay while we both passed. It then disappeared back into the canal grass.
>
> First, I have never seen a Common Loon in breeding plumage and have never heard it call. Second, I would have thought that all of the Loons would already be on nest much further north than here. The bird did not seem to be injured because it was very good at moving quickly using both its wings and feet. Would you have any thoughts as to why this bird might be behaving this way. It was almost as if it was trying to protect a nest, but I know they don't nest here.
>
> I have attached a couple of photos of the Loon. Unfortunately I didn't get any photos of it attacking me because -- it was attacking me!!!
>
> Now I know where the phrase CRAZY AS A LOON comes from!!
>
> Bill Sherman
>
> Photos are posted here:
> http://www.photostockplus.com/home.php?tmpl=3&action=viewalbum&user_id=31821&album_id=1385854&event=.
>
> Regards,
>
> Bill
>
> Bill Hubick
> Pasadena, Maryland
> <bill_hubick...>
> http://www.billhubick.com
> http://www.marylandbiodiversity.com
> http://www.facebook.com/MarylandBiodiversity
>
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