Loon lovers: here's a chance to help your favorite Northwoods bird. Project LoonWatch at the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute at Northland College in Ashland is looking for volunteers to help them with a bird count next month.
Project Loonwatch Coordinator Erica LaMoine...
"....the Wisconsin Loon Population survey is going to be on July 18 and we need volunteers to check pre-selected lakes between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. They can go to our website to see a map of those lakes and sign up to volunteer...."
LaMoine says Loon populations have grown by about one percent per year since the first survey in 1985. Back then, the population was about 2,400. By 2010, the population was around 4,000.
But LaMoine says the bird often thought of as the symbol of the Northwoods faces large challenges, such as loss of habitat, water quality, toxins, lead tackle and botulism among others.
More information is on the website www.northlandedu/loonwatch and go to the Loon population survey link. You can also call LeMoine at 715-682-1220.
