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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, June 11, 2015 | 6 Mother grebe with sh hook in her neck rescued by Angela Blackburn Oakville Beaver and Sue Edwards Special to the Beaver Spotlight "Connected to your Community" T he concern of Bronte residents about a mother red-necked grebe that had a sh hook stuck in her neck, likely saved the bird's life last weekend. After voicing concerns, the Toronto Wildlife Centre (TWC) sent animal rescuers to Bronte Sunday morning. Though it took approximately 90 minutes and a fair bit of ingenuity and patience, the mother bird, who had young chicks, was rounded up for treatment. By mid-afternoon, she was back with her family -- minus the sh hook. The concerned residents received word Saturday the centre was going to send personnel to the area the next morning. "We were contacted by Toronto Wildlife Centre today. They asked if we would go visit the grebes early tomorrow morning and report back to them. If the grebe is still alive and in danger, they plan to come to Bronte to try to help it," said resident Sue Edwards on Saturday. It was on Friday that Heather Warrens and Barbara Canney said they saw the female rednecked grebe get hooked by shermen, who had lines cast not far from the nesting box. "The hook is in her neck and we watched in horror her pulling at it in futility to remove it," said Canney. The Oakville and Milton Humane Society (OMHS) was called but it's almost impossible to catch a grebe, said Canney. "The chicks were just hatched and they need their mom," said Canney. Gavin Edmondstone told the Oakville Beaver the bird is a very popular nesting bird in the Bronte Harbour Outer Marina. "The red-necked grebes have two very young chicks. Grebes have been nesting here since 1997. They are something of an oddity given that their primary nesting range is in western Canada. Many people stop here to observe them," said Edmondstone, a birdwatcher and photographer. Edmondstone snapped photos of the bird trying to pull the hook out with her beak and later of her rescue. "The tiny striped heads of the chicks are visible. I have been told that people were shing in the basin where the grebes nest, oblivious to the hazard they were creating," he said. Late Saturday, Edwards updated the Oakville | photo by Graham Paine ­ Oakville Beaver | photo courtesy Gavin Edmondstone Above, a mother red-necked grebe with a baby on her back and a sh hook in her neck. At right, Andrew Wight of the Toronto Wildlife Centre uses a kayak to round up the grebe. In the end, it was a landing net that did the job. At left, Wight examines the bird and at right, the grebe is released after having had the hook removed from her throat area. The hook is in her neck and we watched in horror her pulling at it in futility to remove it. | photo by Graham Paine ­ Oakville Beaver Barbara Canney Oakville resident | photo courtesy Gavin Edmondstone Beaver. "We visited the bird several times today. If you didn't see the hook, or see her pulling on the end of the hook, you would think she was ne. She was doing all the mother grebe duties, incubating eggs, swimming, shing, and feeding young. Red-necked grebes have an unusual, haunting vocalization. The injured grebe even was vocalizing, and quite loudly, too. The only normal activity we did not witness was her eating," she said. Edwards also said the grebes had a "fan club." "The grebes have a fan club, there were people watching every time we stopped by. There are still two eggs and two young. Fingers crossed that Toronto Wildlife can help the mother grebe," said Edwards. The grebe family survived the night, however, the two eggs were missing from the nest in the morning. By Sunday afternoon, after being present for the rescue, Edwards said, "The bird was rescued successfully... hook is out and she is back with her chicks. Though the happy ending eased the minds of the many worrying about the bird's future, and that of her family, Edwards said shing is still occurring on the docks. "There was someone shing right after we got all the birds back together," she said. According to Edwards, the Toronto Wildlife Centre people arrived at Bronte Harbour around 11 a.m. The workers, known as "Andrew (Wight), Chris and Harry" to the residents, devised a plan. They would submerge a net at one end of the grebe basin and then Andrew, in the kayak, would encourage the grebes toward the net. Wight was succeeding, but the birds seemed to sense danger. The female also seemed to understand that the would-be rescuers were after her so she dove under a dock, taking the young chick on her back with her and reappeared among the boats, said Edwards. Wight scrambled out of his kayak onto the docks. With a large landing net he was able to land the mother grebe. TWC volunteer Chris took the chick and kept it warm and safe. Meanwhile, Wight, with the help of a man at the marina, was able to free the mother grebe. Wight, bitten several times by the grebe for his trouble, nonetheless held on, according to Edwards. Wight, still with bare feet, carried the female see Bird on p.13 NEIL OLIVER Vice ­President and Group Publisher DAVID HARVEY Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Halton Region Editor in Chief Volume 53 | Number 46 5046 Mainway, Unit 2, Burlington (905) 845-3824 Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone (416) 340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Editorial Department (905) 845-3824 Advertising Department (905) 845-3824 Classi ed Advertising (905) 632-4444 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 DANIEL BAIRD Director of Advertising ANGELA BLACKBURN Managing Editor