Dead Loon.

[Marek]

We located a dead loon at Colonel Sam Smith Park this morning. Looks like it has just died. We couldn't see any signs of injury on this bird.

[Kin Lau]

This time of the year, we get dead Loons due to botulism in the Great Lakes.

[Tyler]

It most likely died like the other 24 Common Loons I picked up off the beaches of Lake Ontario from Pickering to Point Petre since sunday. By Botulism E. Unfortunately this now an annual death of Loons from the botulism toxins with no end in site. It has been occured every fall since 2002 on Lake Ontario.  

Thanks for the report of this body. I was hoping the die off was not east of toronto. but it is looking more like a lakewide event this year.

Botulism toxin loons get is from primarily dying gobies which got it from eating toxin infected Zebra mussels.
 Loons that get it, get muscle paralysis and primarily drown out in the lake then some wash ashore.


Can you tell where exactly it is so I can possibly pick up the body over next day or so and get it in for testing.

thanks
 Tyler

[Marek]

Use path from east side of the parking lot which takes you directly to the lake. The bird is going to be on your right side about 10 meters from where you are in the end of the path.

[Tyler]

Missed the bird today.

I was down there checking the 'beaches' along the east side of the park at noon and unfortunately did not see the loon.

Tyler