Raintree Newsletter
April-May, 2010


Springtime Dramas on the Lake

There have been many dramatic happenings at our little lake over the past month, so I thought it might be an idea to give an update on our miracles, survivors and losses.

First, our large fishing bird, the cormorant has flown the coup! He is approximately 3 months old and was dropped off here by an adult cormorant with a horrible broken beak. The injured cormorant left and the young one stayed. He learned to fish, sun himself and climb up a very small tree to go to sleep each night. He often flapped his wings, but didn't fly. Then many people noticed a fishing line and small round weight hanging from his left wing. He was entangled, loosing feathers and becoming raw on top of his wing.

A rescue effort was launched with the help of the Culver City Animal Service Officer Corolla Fleeger and the California Wildlife Center in Malibu. Three attempts were made both during the day and at night using large nets used to catch seals. They all failed. The cormorant was too smart and dove into the water always just in the nick of time.

Meanwhile the cormorant, him or herself, was trying to pick off the line with his beak. Finally a report came in that the fishing line was off. The next day he was running across the water flapping his wings. A day later someone saw him fly down the lake. That night he was not in his usual tree sleeping and the next morning he was nowhere to be found. Hopefully he is flying and finding fertile wetlands to grow and become a strong adult.