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Updated: Loons and lead, a deadly combination and a sad end

6 mins read

According to The Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, 30 percent of dead loons autopsied have evidence of lead poisoning, and death can occur within 5 to 10 days of ingestion. Buying or selling lead-based sinkers weighing one-half ounce or less has been illegal in Maine since 2002, but there is still a lot of lead in fly vests and tackle boxes. Think about all the split shot lost nymphing and the lead wire people still wrap streamers with and the effects on the ecosystem. Please, get rid of all of that old lead.  – By Jane Naliboff

Update: At 9 p.m. Sunday Jane forwarded this sad news:

It is with great sadness and disappointment that I must tell you: despite a successful lavage procedure, our friend survived only a few more hours before succumbing to lead poisoning.  Everyone did all they could, and we are all heartbroken.  Thank you for your help, and your caring stewardship over the loons, which are so important to us all.

All the best
Shearon

 

A loon enjoying a warm afternoon a few days ago on Minnehonk Lake in Mount Vernon before it almost died. (© jane naliboff photos)
I noticed while taking photos that when it waggled (stretched out) its foot things didn’t look right. (© jane naliboff photos)
The loon’s wing didn’t cover its side, under-feathers and down; and its foot was an odd color. (© jane naliboff photos)
In this photo, it looks like it has a broken wing and is missing its flying feathers. You can see that its foot looks very abnormal. However, when it pulled its foot back in, everything looked fine and it continued to float along the shore being carried by the current. (© jane naliboff photos)
Not being one to just let things go, I emailed Inland Fisheries & Wildlife and sent along photos which were then sent to state biologists. They agreed that it looked bad and appeared to have a broken wing. That meant it wouldn’t be able to fly to the ocean when the lake froze. Things weren’t looking good for this lovely bird. I notified Avian Haven in Freedom, Maine, who said that they do not do water rescues, but that they would call someone who did. I waited at the lake for Shearon Murphy to arrive with her kayak and experienced capture skills. I watched her quietly paddle towards the loon which I had located again and photographed her short paddle. The loon didn’t move. (© jane naliboff photos)
As she got closer, the loon stayed quiet and still. (© jane naliboff photos)
The loon stayed put as Shearon got closer and closer. (© jane naliboff photos)
The loon was so ill and disoriented, that it allowed Shearon to pick it up and lay it across her lap. You can see it under her arm. Unable to keep the loon calm and paddle at the same time, she called to the person in the house behind the trees. It was George Smith’s house, our avid writer and outdoorsman. George came to the rescue with a towel and truck ride back to our vehicles. (© jane naliboff photos)
The loon went limp out of fear before it went into the truck. (© jane naliboff photos)
Shearon was able to carry it to the truck and once back at our vehicles we were able to place it in the well-padded transport bin. At Avian Haven, the knowledgeable owners and a vet, determined that the loon’s wing and foot were fine. Its problem was the lead sinker stuck in its gizzard and its very elevated lead level. The good news is that after lavage, (pouring water into the gizzard to flush out the sinker), it worked. The sinker came out! It’s now getting chelation therapy to lower the lead level to a normal range. When that happens, it will be released back to its natural environment. Its a happy ending for what was almost another dead water bird due to human behavior. (© jane naliboff photos)


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23 Comments

  2. KUDOS TO ALL INVOLVED IN THIS RESCUE!!

    IT WARMS THE HEART TO KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT REALLY CARE AND WILL GO THE EXTRA MILE TO BRING THIS TO A HAPPY ENDING.

  7. Jane, I’m glad you’re “not one to just let things go”…and I”m sure the loon is grateful as well! This story, told so well in your photos should compel us all to be vigilant about the use of lead in fishing gear.

  8. The most heartwarming story I have read in years. Thanks for your work folks! Thanks again!

  10. Chalk one saved life up for Jane. Thank you for not only being a passionate person, but a responsible citizen, and a good role model!

  12. What a sad, sad story, Jane. I will pass the word here in Oregon to my friends who fish.

    JA

  14. what an amazing rescue. So glad that it had a happy ending. Such a beautiful bird. Thanks for caring all involved ! ! !

  15. Am I the only reader who understands this story to say that the poor loon actually died anyhow a few hours later? Jane – is that what happened?

  16. After getting the lead sinker out of its gizzard, and using chelation therapy to rid its body of lead poisoning, the loon died. The only good thing that has come out of this sad situation is that the message about lead and wildlife is getting spread across the country and that the sweet loon died in a nice place with caring people and didn’t languish and die a slow, horrible death in the little pond all alone.

    So please, keep all lead, all plastic and garbage, and invasive plants out of our beautiful lakes and ponds.

    Wildlife and our lakes are much too precious to kill.

  18. Jane – nice job chronicling this sad story. If I may speak out of turn, I am guessing that Bmax is referencing Kris from the reality show North Woods Law on Animal Planet. Kris is one of our local game wardens who is profiled and followed by the show. He does a great job and is a not only a shining star on the show but also a super game warden day in and day out when the cameras aren’t running.

  19. I did mis read. thanks for the correction. sorry to hear that even with all the efforts the poor thing could not be saved. very sad. Even so… is a good story to inform people of the dangers of lead. thank you

  22. That was the greatest story and picturesI With a heart worming ending. Fabulous!!! Thanks

    Nancy (Sylvia`s grammer shcool friend!

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