OAKLAND, Maine (WABI) – It was a cold yet beautiful Sunday on East Pond in Oakland when a South Portland man came across a trapped loon.
John Picone shared footage with WABI from when he found the loon while he was skating.
Picone serves on the Maine and New Hampshire Skating and Ice report group, so he was in full gear including a dry suit, helmet, ice poles, and more to ensure he was safe which motivated him to figure out how he could get the loon to safety.
Feeling the temperature drop, Picone called Avian Haven, a bird rescue in Freedom, and Ann Dorney came to transport the little guy, something she’s been doing for over 20 years.
In the meantime, Picone assisted the bird to shore to get it out of the freezing pond.
“The problem with loons is that in order to fly, they almost have to walk across the water to get momentum, and it takes about 20 feet of open water for them to actually get up into the air,” said Dorney.
Dorney says she doesn’t run into the situation often, but it happens, so it’s important before you go onto the ice to have contact information handy in case you see wildlife in need of help.
Dorney believes if the loon wasn’t rescued in the moment, it could’ve died.
The executive director of Avian Haven says the loon’s story is not over just yet.
The loon did suffer from frost bite on its feet and might have an injury, but they say he’s in good care and rehab.
If you ever run into a situation like this, you should call Avian Haven immediately.
Follow the link to head to their website.
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