Date: 4/26/24 6:07 pm From: Bob Shanman via groups.io <wildbirdbob...> Subject: Re: [LACoBirds] Loon Rescue Update
Ursula-thank you so much for doing this. We had four Pacific Loons in the
creek channel so I suspect it was one of them. By any chance did you get a
photo that you could forward to us for identification?
Thanks again
Bob
Bob Shanman
<wildbirdbob...>
On Fri, Apr 26, 2024 at 1:59 PM Ursula K. Heise via groups.io <heise.ursula=
<gmail.com...> wrote:
> Hello Neysa:
>
> Please give my thank you to Patrick, and yes, please tell him that loon is
> now in good hands. Very happy to see the crew working out there today - all
> three guys were very helpful.
>
> Warm best,
>
> Ursula K. Heise
> Venice
>
>
>
>
> On Fri, Apr 26, 2024 at 1:21 PM Neysa Frechette <neysaf...>
> wrote:
>
>> Hi Ursula,
>>
>> So glad to hear you were able to help the loon! Patrick is our Habitat
>> Restoration Manager at Friends of Ballona Wetlands, we were out doing trail
>> rehabilitation work at the Ballona Freshwater Marsh today. I will let him
>> know that the loon arrived at IBR!
>>
>> We also have a drop down menu “Found an Injured Animal?” with a list of
>> helpful animal rescue/injury numbers on our Contact Page:
>> https://www.ballonafriends.org/contact-us >>
>> Thank you for going above and beyond for that bird!
>>
>> Best wishes,
>> Neysa
>> --
>>
>> *Neysa Frechette* | *Manager of Scientific Programs*
>>
>> *Friends of Ballona Wetlands* | P.O. Box 5159 | Playa del Rey | CA |
>> 90296
>>
>> *p. 818.470.3593*
>>
>> *<neysaf...> <neysaf...> *
>>
>> *www.ballonafriends.org <http://www.ballonafriends.org/> *
>>
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Apr 26, 2024 at 1:09 PM Ursula K. Heise via groups.io
>> <heise.ursula...> wrote:
>>
>>> Hello Friends:
>>>
>>> I'm now back home and wanted to extend a warm thank you to all of you
>>> who jumped in and helped out with very useful info this morning. Here's the
>>> story so far:
>>>
>>> I spotted the loon just east of the Ballona Creek bike/ped bridge in
>>> Marina del Rey a little after 9 this morning, not far from a small group of
>>> surf scoters. Unlike the scoters, the loon seemed to be moving oddly, just
>>> paddling in place, sort of like a buoy. So I jogged across the bridge and
>>> climbed down to take a closer look, and saw that there was a fishing line
>>> running from the loon to the shore.
>>>
>>> A very friendly and helpful passerby located a piece of broken glass
>>> that we could use to cut the line (the ubiquitous trash came in handy, for
>>> a change). But then I discovered to my dismay that the rest of the line ran
>>> into the loon's bill. I picked it up, wrapped it in my vest and looked in
>>> its bill, but the line ran down its throat. So I rushed it to my car, put
>>> it in a box, and sent the emergency email, then left a voicemail with IBR.
>>> Thanks so much for the quick reference to IBR from people on this list -
>>> that was a lifesaver!!
>>>
>>> I started heading east on Culver, saw several guys doing work at the
>>> Ballona Freshwater Marsh, and pulled over to see if they might have advice.
>>> They checked the bird, confirmed that the hook was deep down its gull, and
>>> a guy with the nametag Patrick said IRB would take it in (anyone know who
>>> that Patrick might be - I want to thank him?). Real luck that I'm not
>>> teaching today, so I drove down to San Pedro, and they took the loon in.
>>> Vet seemed hopeful that the hook could be removed with surgery, and also
>>> noted that one of the loon's eyes looked a bit funny, which I hadn't
>>> noticed. It's now Pacific Loon 368 down there. I'll call on Monday to see
>>> how he/she is doing.
>>>
>>> The loon did seem pretty strong - it struggled to get out of my vest and
>>> arms in Playa del Rey and to get out of the box down in San Pedro, which I
>>> thought was a good sign: I hope that it wasn't caught on that line the
>>> whole night.
>>>
>>> I'm sending a generous donation to IBR this weekend - so glad they were
>>> there in this situation! And I can't thank everyone on this list enough for
>>> the referral: I was about to take the loon to the Access Animal Hospital on
>>> Jefferson, where I take my pet birds, but was doubtful that they'd accept a
>>> wild bird. So your lightning-fast responses to my emergency email came in
>>> the nick of time!
>>>
>>> I've posted a picture of the loon with this morning's ebird list:
>>> https://ebird.org/checklist/S170404169.
>>>
>>> Thank you, everyone, and let's hope this beautiful bird survives! I'll
>>> send an update next week.
>>>
>>> Ursula K. Heise
>>> Venice
>>>
>>>
>
>
