Lake Michigan 2011-13 aerial surveys common loon observations

We surveyed fixed-width transects to determine waterbird distribution and estimate relative density. Transects generally paralleled shorelines to maximize efficiency and safety. Fixed-width transects were spaced at 3.2 and 4.8 km intervals and extended up to 32 km offshore so as to include waters with depth up to 80 m. Transects were established using snapPLAN software (TRACK’AIR Aerial Survey Systems, The Netherlands). Surveys were flown at an average ground speed of about 220 km/h at an altitude of about 61-76 m above the water using a US Fish and Wildlife Service fix-winged aircraft (Partenavia P68 Observer 2). Two trained observers, one on each side of the plane, identified and tallied waterbirds within 200...

Categories: Data; Types: Map Service, OGC WFS Layer, OGC WMS Layer, OGC WMS Service; Tags: Aerial Survey, Distribution, Lake Michigan, common loon

Common loon winter dive data

Breeding common loons for the movement and foraging pattern study were obtained from lakes in central and northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Both adults of a territorial pair were fitted with archival geolocator tags (Model LAT 2500; 34.6 x 8.3 mm, 4.4 g; Lotek Wireless Inc.). A combination of adhesive and plastic cable ties were used to affix the geolocator tag to a modified lock-on aluminum leg band. Tags were programmed to collect daily location estimates for up to two years, tag temperature (0.02o C accuracy, ≤ 0.05o C resolution) at 30-min intervals, and pressure data (±1% accuracy, 0.05% resolution) at 20-sec intervals during daylight hours to document foraging patterns...

Categories: Data; Tags: Atlantic Ocean along southeastern states, Gulf of Mexico, archival geolocator tag, biota, common loon, All tags... dive attributes, foraging patterns, none, Fewer tags

Common loon winter archival geolocator tag location data

Breeding common loons were obtained for the movement and foraging pattern study from lakes in central and northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Both adults of a territorial pair were fitted with archival geolocator tags (Model LAT 2500; 34.6 x 8.3 mm, 4.4 g; Lotek Wireless Inc.). A combination of adhesive and plastic cable ties were used to affix the geolocator tag to a modified lock-on aluminum leg band. Tags were programmed to collect daily location estimates for up to two years, tag temperature (0.02 oC accuracy, ≤ 0.05 oC resolution) at 30-min intervals, and pressure data (±1% accuracy, 0.05% resolution) at 20-sec intervals during daylight hours to document foraging patterns...

Categories: Data; Tags: Atlantic Ocean, Gavia immer, Great Lakes, Gulf of Mexico, Minnesota, All tags... Southeastern U.S., Upper Midwest, Upper Penninsula of Michigan, Wisconsin, archival geolocator tag, biota, common loon, migratory birds, none, species biology, wintering areas, Fewer tags

Lake Michigan 2010-11 selected common loon telemetry observations

Implantable satellite transmitters (e.g., Model PTT-100, Microwave Telemetry, Inc) were incorporated into the study to provide fine-resolution location data for a sample of the adult male common loons fitted with geolocator tags in 2010 and 2011. Transmitters were implanted in the abdominal cavity following procedures developed by Korschgen et al. (1996). The satellite transmitters were programmed to transmit on a variable schedule based on the anticipated stage of migration during the loon’s annual cycle - 8 hours on:72 hours off during the breeding season, 8 hours on:24 hours off while migrating, 6 to 8 hours on:96 hours off on the wintering grounds, and 8 hours on:24 hours off during spring migration, and 8 hours...

Categories: Data; Types: Map Service, OGC WFS Layer, OGC WMS Layer, OGC WMS Service; Tags: Lake Michigan, Platform Terminal Transmitter, USGS Science Data Catalog (SDC), common loon, distribution, All tags... location estimate, satellite transmitter implant, Fewer tags

Environmental DNA metabarcoding results of fish prey DNA in common loon (Gavia immer) fecal and cloacal swab samples from the Whitefish Chain of Lakes, Crow Wing County, Minnesota

The dataset contains sequencing read counts of fish prey eDNA metabarcoding (using primers targeting the 16S rRNA mitochondrial gene) that were extracted from fecal and cloacal swab samples collected from common loons (Gavia immer) captured on the Whitefish Chain of Lakes, Crow Wing County, Minnesota during 2015-2106. Sample type (cloacal or fecal); loon identification, age, and sex; capture date and location; and prey detections for each sample are provided.

Categories: Data; Tags: Gavia immer, USGS Science Data Catalog (SDC), Whitefish Chain of Lakes, Crow Wing County, Minnesota, Wildlife Biology, biota, All tags... common loon, environmental DNA metabarcoding, fish prey, Fewer tags

Summary of Detection Data for Breeding Common Loons in North-central Minnesota (2021-2022)

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill caused extensive injury to natural resources in the Gulf of Mexico, and Gavia immer (common loon) were negatively affected from the spill. The Open Ocean Trustee Implementation Group funded the project Restoration of Common Loons in Minnesota to restore common loons lost to the spill. In 2020–21, study lakes in an eight-county region in north-central Minnesota were identified to focus project activities. In 2021 and 2022, surveys were conducted on these lakes to monitor common loon territory occupancy, nest success, and chick survival. This dataset includes a summary of total number of artificial nesting platforms (ANP), total number of ANP and natural nests, ANP and natural nest...

Categories: Data; Tags: Artificial Nest Platform, Common Loon, Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Gavia immer, Loon Productivity, All tags... Minnesota, Nest Success, Restoration, USGS Science Data Catalog (SDC), Wildlife Biology, biota, Fewer tags

Patterns of mercury and selenium exposure in Minnesota common loons: Data

The concentrations of selected metals (mercury [Hg], lead, cadmium, selenium [Se], and aluminum) were determined in common loon (Gavia immer) blood samples collected from across a broad area of Minnesota. The observed pattern of loon Hg exposure was related to Hg concentrations in a standardized 12-cm whole organism yellow perch (Perca flavescens), based on fish Hg records from lakes throughout Minnesota, using the U.S. Geological Survey National Descriptive Model for Mercury in Fish.

Categories: Data; Types: Map Service, OGC WFS Layer, OGC WMS Layer, OGC WMS Service; Tags: Aitkin County, Minnesota, USA, Anoka County, Minnesota, USA, Becker County, Minnesota, USA, Beltrami County, Minnesota, USA, Benton County, Minnesota, USA, All tags... Big Stone County, Minnesota, USA, Blue Earth County, Minnesota, USA, Brown County, Minnesota, USA, Carlton County, Minnesota, USA, Carver County, Minnesota, USA, Cass County, Minnesota, USA, Chippewa County, Minnesota, USA, Chisago County, Minnesota, USA, Clay County, Minnesota, USA, Clearwater County, Minnesota, USA, Cook County, Minnesota, USA, Cottonwood County, Minnesota, USA, Crow Wing County, Minnesota, USA, Dakota County, Minnesota, USA, Douglas County, Minnesota, USA, Faribault County, Minnesota, USA, Fillmore County, Minnesota, USA, Freeborn County, Minnesota, USA, Goodhue County, Minnesota, USA, Grant County, Minnesota, USA, Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA, Houston County, Minnesota, USA, Hubbard County, Minnesota, USA, Isanti County, Minnesota, USA, Itasca County, Minnesota, USA, Jackson County, Minnesota, USA, Kanabec County, Minnesota, USA, Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, USA, Kittson County, Minnesota, USA, Koochiching County, Minnesota, USA, Lac Qui Parle County, Minnesota, USA, Lake County, Minnesota, USA, Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, USA, Le Sueur County, Minnesota, USA, Lincoln County, Minnesota, USA, Lyon County, Minnesota, USA, Mahnomen County, Minnesota, USA, Marshall County, Minnesota, USA, Martin County, Minnesota, USA, Mcleod County, Minnesota, USA, Meeker County, Minnesota, USA, Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, USA, Minnesota, Morrison County, Minnesota, USA, Mower County, Minnesota, USA, Murray County, Minnesota, USA, Nicollet County, Minnesota, USA, Nobles County, Minnesota, USA, Norman County, Minnesota, USA, Olmsted County, Minnesota, USA, Otter Tail County, Minnesota, USA, Pennington County, Minnesota, USA, Pine County, Minnesota, USA, Pipestone County, Minnesota, USA, Polk County, Minnesota, USA, Pope County, Minnesota, USA, Ramsey County, Minnesota, USA, Red Lake County, Minnesota, USA, Redwood County, Minnesota, USA, Renville County, Minnesota, USA, Rice County, Minnesota, USA, Rock County, Minnesota, USA, Roseau County, Minnesota, USA, Scott County, Minnesota, USA, Sherburne County, Minnesota, USA, Sibley County, Minnesota, USA, St Louis County, Minnesota, USA, Stearns County, Minnesota, USA, Steele County, Minnesota, USA, Stevens County, Minnesota, USA, Swift County, Minnesota, USA, Todd County, Minnesota, USA, Traverse County, Minnesota, USA, USGS Science Data Catalog (SDC), Wabasha County, Minnesota, USA, Wadena County, Minnesota, USA, Waseca County, Minnesota, USA, Washington County, Minnesota, USA, Watonwan County, Minnesota, USA, Wilkin County, Minnesota, USA, Winona County, Minnesota, USA, Wright County, Minnesota, USA, Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota, USA, biota, birds, common loon, contamination and pollution, fish contaminants, mathematical modeling, mercury, selenium, Fewer tags

Summary of Detection Data for Breeding Common Loons in North-central Minnesota (2023)

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill caused extensive injury to natural resources in the Gulf of Mexico, and Gavia immer (common loon) were negatively affected from the spill. The Open Ocean Trustee Implementation Group funded the project Restoration of Common Loons in Minnesota to restore common loons lost to the spill. In 2020–21, study lakes in an eight-county region in north-central Minnesota were identified to focus project activities. In 2023 surveys were conducted on these lakes to monitor common loon territory occupancy, nest success, and chick survival. This dataset includes a summary of total number of artificial nesting platforms (ANP), total number of ANP and natural nests, ANP and natural nest success, total...

Categories: Data; Tags: Artificial Nest Platform, Common Loon, Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Gavia immer, Loon Productivity, All tags... Minnesota, Nest Success, Restoration, USGS Science Data Catalog (SDC), Wildlife Biology, biota, Fewer tags

Lake Michigan common loon dive data

Breeding common loons for the movement and foraging pattern study were obtained from lakes in central and northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan during summers 2010-2012. Both adults of a territorial pair were fitted with archival geolocator tags (Model LAT 2500; 34.6 x 8.3 mm, 4.4 g; Lotek Wireless Inc.). A combination of adhesive and plastic cable ties were used to affix the geolocator tag to a modified lock-on aluminum leg band. Tags were programmed to collect daily location estimates for up to two years, tag temperature (0.02o C accuracy, ≤ 0.05o C resolution) at 30-min intervals, and pressure data (±1% accuracy, 0.05% resolution) at 20-sec intervals during daylight hours to document...

Categories: Data; Types: Map Service, OGC WFS Layer, OGC WMS Layer, OGC WMS Service; Tags: Archival geolocator tag, Lake Michigan, common loon, dive attributes, foraging patterns

Common loon migration and winter data: telemetry locations and archival geolocator tag location (ver 2.0, October 2022)

The data details common loon locations based on archival geolocator tag information, characteristics of common loon dives during wintering, and common loon locations based on telemetry data. Satellite transmitters (Model PTT-100, Microwave Telemetry, Inc) were implanted in 31 adult male (marked during July 2010 and July 2011) and 27 juvenile (marked during August 2014 and August 2015) common loons that were captured on breeding lakes in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The satellite transmitters were programmed to transmit on a variable schedule based on the anticipated stage of migration during the loon’s annual cycle. We utilized the most accurate locations per 8-hour transmission period...

Categories: Data, Data Release - Revised; Tags: Atlantic Ocean, Gavia immer, Gulf of Mexico, Minnesota, USGS Science Data Catalog (SDC), All tags... Upper Penninsula Michigan, Wisconsin, biota, common loon, migratory birds, none, satellite telemetry, species biology, wintering areas, Fewer tags