Last night, Eric Hanson of the Vermont Loon Recovery Project captured  
the loon that has been in the storm water pond next to the Williston  
Shaw’s since May. The bird was an adult female. She appeared healthy,  
although she weighed less than most Vermont Common Loons (but within  
the average range for Common Loons that are hatched north of us in  
Canada).

Last night’s loon rescue crew was made up of Eric, his intern Shannon  
(I’m sorry that I’ve forgotten Shannon’s last name), Bruce  
MacPherson, Carl Runge, Jim Wallace, Jim Morris (who first posted  
news of the loon in the pond on May 20), and me. Gail Osherenko, the  
videographer who filmed The Dark Side of the Loon, was also present  
and filming.

The loon was successfully caught using “Plan A”, which was to get a  
boat over the fence, wait until dark, launch the boat, spotlight the  
loon, play taped yodels, and then scoop the bird up in a long-handled  
net. The loon was clearly interested in the calls and the boat got  
close several times, but Eric waited until he was sure he could  
capture the bird cleanly, without bonking it with the net and unduly  
spooking it.

We were all glad we didn’t have to resort to Plan B, which involved  
putting a large gill net across the pond and having volunteers on  
both sides walk the net along, enclosing the rescue boat and the loon  
in a smaller and smaller area.

After the loon was captured, Eric weighed it and Gail got some great  
pictures. Eric hoped to band the bird, but its leg was too small for  
the bands he usually uses. We put the loon in a box, took it down to  
the Burlington waterfront near ECHO and released it.

This was a really exciting adventure for those of us who don’t do  
this everyday! I’m just delighted I was part of it.

Maeve Kim
Jericho Center