Aquatic Wildlife

Aquatic Wildlife Advocacy Committee, a part of the “DNR Loon Friendly Lake Registry Program”   

In the fall of 2023, the CGWLAA, created a new committee called Aquatic Wildlife Advocacy Committee headed by Jenny Chapman and is part of the DNR Nongame Wildlife Program.  

In 2019, the MN DNR Loon Restorations Program was funded $7.52 million dollars to reduce mortality and increase the number of young loons produced in Minnesota.  This money was acquired from the April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon Drilling Oil Spill in the Gulf.  The MN DNR Nongame Wildlife Program was awarded 4.8 million for acquisition and/or easements of lakeshore loon nesting habitat, enhancing loon productivity by providing artificial nesting platforms on targeted lakes and engaging MN lake associations in loon conservation activities. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency was awarded 1,270,00 million towards reducing loon exposure to lead-based fishing tackle.  

As part of this program, the Lake Association will be implementing the Loon Friendly Management Plan for the Woman Lake Chain. The object is to help understand what our state bird needs to maintain a strong, healthy presence here for future generations.  The plan will benefit loons and their chicks as well as other aquatic birds and animals include humans.  This plan will include loon survey studies with the help of other volunteer loon watchers/citizens scientist on the Woman Lake Chain. 

As cabin owners, we need to think about how our actions are affecting loons while we are boating, fishing, and landscaping our cabins. We will look at threats to the loons from recreational to general development of the lakes. Protecting our sensitive shoreline as well as property shoreline restoration will help maintain good clean water clarity and nesting sites. The plan will also include education on the best practices for loon nesting, chick rearing, and limiting human disturbances.  

Loon Surveying  

The plan starts with surveying the loons on our lakes with volunteer loon watchers or citizen scientists (as other states are calling them).  Loons on the Woman Lake chain have been counted since the early 1980’s but in recent years the surveying of the loons has become for detailed. From when the first loon shows up on our lakes in the Spring to when the last loon migrates south, we observe and record all the loons, both nesting pairs and floaters. We look at where they are nesting, how many chicks hatch and how many survive. We also keep a close eye on their territories and see what we can do better to help the loons and their young chicks.  

With more people observing the loons and their territories, we will be able to collect a more compete data of information on our loon.  

If you love our federally protected state bird the Common Loon as much as I do and are interested in getting involved, please contact me, Jenny Wuebker Chapman. 

Shoreline Restoration to help maintain water clarify. 

Did you know… Loons have been studied for over 30 years Wisconsin, conducted by Dr. Walter Piper from the Chapman University in California (loonproject.org).  What he discovered was that the Wisconsin loon population was declining. One main reason was reduced water clarity. See the results of his study in the recently publication article.  https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecy.4291 

The affect on water clarity:  

1. Excessive fertilizer, pet, and human waste that gets washed into lakes by rainfall and causes increases in phytoplankton.  

2. Increased rainfall related to climate change, which exacerbates #1 

3. increased boat traffic near loon families, which – our evidence shows – impairs foraging of   loon families, contributing to mass decline. 

As a result of the study and findings, in 2021, Dr. Walter Piper started to conduct a similar study in the Cross Lake MN Lake area. Why water clarity? Loons search for fish by peering underwater from the surface. Lakes that have limited water clarity due to pollution, algae blooms or stirring up of the bottom sediments generally reduces the ability for loons to feed themselves and their growing chicks.    

As cabin owners, we need to protect our shoreline and nesting loon habitat which keeps our lakes clean and clear for our loons and our future generations. 

Get the Lead Out – trade in your lead fishing tackle for lead-free to safe loons from a slow and painful death.  

Did you know… Loons ingest small pebbles from the bottom of the lake to aid in digestion. By mistakenly picking up a small lead sinker on the bottom, the lead tackle is ingested and broken down into the gizzard and passed through the bloodstream and organs. The loon will most likely die in two to four weeks. One small lead sinker (the size of a pea) can kill an adult loon.  

Did you know… 7 states including Washington and New Hampshire has passed laws banning up to 2 oz lead sinkers along with lead jigs.  Washington state and New Hampshire saw a decline in their loon population from lead poisoning.  Lead jigs and sinkers account for 48.6% of mortalities among adult loons, which is the largest single cause of adult Common Loon mortalities in New Hampshire and Washington accounted for 31%.  The number of loon mortality when the restrictions were put in place in Washington was ZERO.  

Did you know… Minnesota has more loons (roughly 12,000) than any other state except Alaska and Minnesota still hasn’t passed any Lead-Free Bills for fishing tackle. They say the loon population in Minnesota is holding steady but 25% of the injured or dead loons in the state did have lead poisoning.  The percentage could be higher if we could count the numbers not reported or Loons never found.  

When we can learn from other states how best to protect our Loons from reduced water clarity and lead poisoning, why should Minnesota wait until we see a decline in the loon population before we try to do something about it.  It’s time to act now!   

This past session, the bill was written with nontoxic ammunition in school shooting sport requirements tacked on to the bill.  The legislation was bogged down because the concerns about exposure of youth at clay target shooting sports to atmospheric lead at their clay target competitions. They claim that there is “no evidence” that this is a problem. The parents refuse to believe that there could be harm from the lead released from the shotshell primers when shooting thousands of rounds at their competitions. They claim that there is ‘no evidence that this is a problem.  Thus, the bill did not even make it to the floor for a vote.   

We need to come together to ask our State Legislature, House and Senate to put through a bill that support of non-lead fishing tackle only, which states “a person may not use a sinker or jig to take fish in a sinker or jig that contains lead and weighs one ounce or less or measures 2.5 inches or less in length or both”   

Until the State passes a bill to help protect Loon and other birds, please do your part and switch to Lead-Free Tackle.  Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle has become the first major U.S. fishing manufacturer to pledge to get the lead out of its products within three years. How about you?  

What do I do if I find a sick or injured loon?   

If you find a loon that has been injured or sick, please call Jenny Chapman 651-324-1040  

Sheila Johnston 612-226-6571 or Loon Rescue Inc. 715-966-5415.  

If a dead loon is found, the National Loon Center in Cross Lake MN, will take the loon down to the U of M in St. Paul for testing.  The loon is usually double bagged and placed in a freezer if not transported immediately. For more information, please visit National Loon Center Foundation at www.nationallooncenter.org or call 218-692-5666. 

The correct way to transport an injured loon?  

A loon that could be rehabilitated may need to be put down if not transported properly. The best way to transport a loon without any added injury is in a plastic bin with holes, so the loon can breathe. There needs to be 4- 5 inches of crumpled newspaper on the bottom and place towel over the papers.  The crunched-up newspaper allows loon's keel to sink into the soft cushion of newspaper and prevent keel sores. Cover the loon with a light sheet and secure with clips (not clothespins). The loon must be kept in a cool place, transported inside the vehicle with the AC on and not in the back of a truck.    

For more information or education on Loons:  

Lead-Free Products: Contact MPCA Get the Lead Out: 
https://www.pca.state.mn.us/air-water-land-climate/getting-lead-out-of-fishing-tackle    

Loon Restoration Project:
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/nongame/minnesota-loon-restoration-project.html    

Dr Walter Piper Loon Studies:
Loonproject.org

Washington Loon Program :   
https://briwildlife.org/loon-program/Washington-loons/ 
https://briwildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/WA_Loon_Status_Report_2021.pdf 

New Hampshire Loon Preservation Committee:
https://loon.org/loons-and-lead