By now, the images of oil soaked birds and other wildlife in the Gulf of Mexico have burned into our consciousness. There's increasing concern about what the mammoth BP oil spill will do to Minnesota's state bird, the common loon. Juvenile loons can spend two or three years in the Gulf before returning home to the Land of 10,000 Lakes. No one is sure how or whether they will be affected, but all of us have reason to worry.
Last Friday, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' nongame wildlife supervisor, the respected Carrol Henderson, gave extensive remarks at a roundtable convened by Senator Amy Klobuchar on the spill and its effect on our loons. It startled me to read that this scientist said we haven't "seen an environmental disaster of this magnitude since the DDT era of the 1950s and 1960s."
Henderson did not say the situation is hopeless. Although it doesn't make much sense for Minnesotans to travel to the Gulf to towel off birds fouled by oil, there's plenty we can do here to help loons. Among his ideas: volunteering for the summer state loon monitoring program, reporting disturbance of loons or loon nests to DNR conservation officers, and buying a a federal duck stamp, which funds migratory bird programs, at the post office. He also notes that his agency and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency have a longstanding program to promote the use nontoxic fishing gear so that loons aren't accidentally poisoned by lead jigs and sinkers lost by anglers.
Henderson's remarks are lengthy, but well worth reading. Even in the worst of situations, individual stewardship can make a difference.
