In case you are not familiar with New England loons, they act a lot like ducks.  Loons dive for food in the water and are easily preyed upon by eagles.  Eagles prey on ducks, but don't discriminate between ducks and loons.

Now that you know that, imagine how busy the Loon Preservation Committee must be in the winter.

The weather has been an issue with extreme warm and cold weather, especially in February.  The committee was not surprised to eventually get a call from a concerned citizen about a loon stuck on the ice on Newfound Lake, with two eagles nearby.

Fortunately, the loons have an ally in the Loon Preservation Committee, and senior biologist John Cooley went into high gear to cross the lake and save the loon.

Chris Morgan via Loon Preservation Committee Facebook page.
Chris Morgan via Loon Preservation Committee Facebook page.
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The committee checked other lakes in New Hampshire and found six more loons stranded on the ice with eagles eyeballing them.

For one loon it was too late, but for the other five, the Loon Preservation Committee again called on John Cooley, along with senior biologist and Executive Director Harry Vogel, to help.  While Cooley and Vogel donned winter rescue and survival gear to save more loons, it was soon discovered they needed help, so they enlisted the Tuftonboro Fire Department.

Use of TFD's boat and rescue tactics proved invaluable when trying to get through the ice.

Loon Preservation Committee via Facebook
Loon Preservation Committee via Facebook
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In all, six loons were recovered successfully before the eagles pounced on them.

With Maria Colby of the Wings of the Dawn Wildlife Rehabilitation taking care of all rescued loons, they were soon able to release the birds back into the ocean, healthy and thriving.

Loon Preservation Committee via Facebook
Loon Preservation Committee via Facebook
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Because the loons now have bands on them, biologists can tell if the same loons come back to New Hampshire.

Wildlife is so cool to watch, and the people who save them are heroes in their own right.

Here's to the New Hampshire loons.

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