206 Posted July 2, 2013 Report Posted July 2, 2013 On Mitchell lake Sunday morn and we were ready to pack it in, waiting for the other boat we were with, we seen a loon who appeared to be struggling. I thought maybe a pike has a grasp on him so we moved in to get a look. It actually had an other loon pinned down trying to drown it and beating it with its wings.....What a site!! Never saw anything like it in my days. My natural instinct was to save the bird being attacked. That bird was on a mission to kill the other it didn't care we moved right up on it...I tried to push it off using my net (man they are beefy birds) but it wouldn't budge...i had to move the boat around and tried again this time it dove a few feet away and then came right back to attack. i gave the net to my partner and drove up and got him to scoop the wounded bird into the net. We drove off and left the attacker with a soar look in is eye, The poor bird was beat senseless and we released it way down the lake, I'm not sure he could even recover but I had to try. Looking back I wonder if I was wrong to interfere with nature in this way...it was human instinct or my softness that I couldn't let something be killed like that.
Cast-Away Posted July 2, 2013 Report Posted July 2, 2013 Don't feel bad, I would have done the same thing that you did.
misfish Posted July 2, 2013 Report Posted July 2, 2013 I posted a few years back the exact samething. Two males fighting over a female. Go figure. At the end of the battle,we took the loser of the battle, back to the park. Called the MNR,they sent a local wild life place to take it into their care. Sometimes,we need to help. Dont beat yerself up.You did good.
Christopheraaron Posted July 2, 2013 Report Posted July 2, 2013 I wouldn't worry, sounds like you did a good deed to me
lew Posted July 2, 2013 Report Posted July 2, 2013 I'd have done the same thing too, but I'm just an old softie when it comes to injured critters.
kickingfrog Posted July 2, 2013 Report Posted July 2, 2013 It would be hard to do but I would let nature, literally, take its course. On a more humorous note I once saw a similar situation between to ducks…. in the spring. Took me a while to realize what was going on.
Jigger Posted July 2, 2013 Report Posted July 2, 2013 Saw the exact thing a few years ago, didnt paddle hard enough, i guess. By the time we got to the scrap, the loser was long gone. Didnt see another loon in the area other than the two combatants.
Toad Hunter Posted July 3, 2013 Report Posted July 3, 2013 yes but would the loon have done the same for you ? jk. I would hate to come across anyone that didn't have the same instinct you did
Rod Caster Posted July 3, 2013 Report Posted July 3, 2013 I think you should have just let it happen... But... I completely understand why you did what you did. Hard to condemn someone for trying to help.
Rich Posted July 3, 2013 Report Posted July 3, 2013 Dude you're lucky to not have been attacked, those things are mean birds. They are very territorial and will drown newcomers to their lake occasionally. Once in a while rogue flocks of 8-10 loons will move onto a new lake and bully the current loons out this way too.
turtle Posted July 3, 2013 Report Posted July 3, 2013 Loons are territorial and can be agressive. Last year a male chased behind my boat pulling away from the dock when it thought I was a threat to the female and baby 50 m out in the lake. Also had a seagull dive agressively at me when I got too close to its little island. Actually was swinging a paddle at it.
outllaw Posted July 3, 2013 Report Posted July 3, 2013 great story. learned something t-day. I believe you did the right thing. guess they have not heard of the new thing ...bulllying
206 Posted July 3, 2013 Author Report Posted July 3, 2013 I posted a few years back the exact samething. Two males fighting over a female. Go figure. At the end of the battle,we took the loser of the battle, back to the park. Called the MNR,they sent a local wild life place to take it into their care. Sometimes,we need to help. Dont beat yerself up.You did good. I wish I coulda thought it threw more this bird may have had a better chance in the hands of an expert I think you should have just let it happen... But... I completely understand why you did what you did. Hard to condemn someone for trying to help. After the fact I thought the same....At the time I could only think about the poor guy on the loosing end. Dude you're lucky to not have been attacked, those things are mean birds. They are very territorial and will drown newcomers to their lake occasionally. Once in a while rogue flocks of 8-10 loons will move onto a new lake and bully the current loons out this way too. Yes mean doesn't describe the look in that birds eye, he had snapped and wasn't going to stop til the other was dead....I figured it would scare off as we approached, Never thought it wouldn't care i poked it with the net. At the time it never even crossed my mind my own safety. Thanks I'm glad to know there are others with a heart out there
woodenboater Posted July 3, 2013 Report Posted July 3, 2013 While hard to see happen, I would have left it to nature to sort out. Last thing you would want is for someone in your party to get injured. As well, how are to know the losing loon wasn't the instigator and was getting it's due ?
NAW Posted July 3, 2013 Report Posted July 3, 2013 You did what you thought was right. And I commend you for taking action on something like this. I think I would have just let it play out, but that's just me. I would assume that if the loon doesn't find a new lake, he is just going to get his beat down again....
Jds63 Posted July 3, 2013 Report Posted July 3, 2013 You did what you had to do ... thos Loons can be nasty, I saw one swim underwater right up to the dock i was standing on and snatch a duckling that was following its mother , what ensued was pure mayhem, but the Loon won and the duckling was gone, nothing I could do standing on the dock , i was surprised that a Loon would do that
Rich Posted July 3, 2013 Report Posted July 3, 2013 They are birds with solid bones and a hefty weight, they need to eat a LOT of meat to stay strong enough to survive... Sometimes this requires killing off the competition.
Headhunter Posted July 3, 2013 Report Posted July 3, 2013 They are birds with solid bones and a hefty weight, they need to eat a LOT of meat to stay strong enough to survive... Sometimes this requires killing off the competition.Can we train them to chase Cormorants Rich! HH
Dave Bailey Posted July 4, 2013 Report Posted July 4, 2013 Neither right nor wrong, you just did what you wanted. Leaving nature to take its course would also not be wrong, just a different approach.
jbailey Posted July 4, 2013 Report Posted July 4, 2013 (edited) i saw this happen between 2 massive male swans on lake ontario around col. sam park - had to interfere as there were about a dozen people screaming in horror from the beach, it was pure chaos Edited July 4, 2013 by JBailey
Christopheraaron Posted July 4, 2013 Report Posted July 4, 2013 i saw this happen between 2 massive male swans on lake ontario around col. sam park - had to interfere as there were about a dozen people screaming in horror from the beach, it was pure chaos Should've let that one play out, maybe some others would realize what monsters they are
lew Posted July 4, 2013 Report Posted July 4, 2013 Should've let that one play out, maybe some others would realize what monsters they are Monsters ??
Christopheraaron Posted July 4, 2013 Report Posted July 4, 2013 Lol, maybe not monsters, how about glutinous noisy balls of fluff?
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