ILLINOIS amis este el) ia le- Bisle tN 21 
WHAT'S IN THE FUTURE 
FOR CORMORANTS? 
by VERNON M. KLEEN 
Readers learned of the plight of the Double-crested Cormorant in Illinois 
in the November 1974 issue of the NEWSLETTER. The two.nesting trees 
referred to have survived and the cormorants have continued to use them. 
Last spring, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel placed platforms in 
the two trees for the birds to use as nesting sites; some platforms were 
used. 
On 31 January (this year) the Illinois Department of Conservation, 
through volunteer assistance, completed further attempts to maintain and 
improve the nesting colony. No one could tell for certain just how long 
the two “vital” trees would survive, so an “artificial tree’’ was construcied. 
The first step required the placing of a 48-foot utility pole out in 
the water near the nesting trees. By contract, this was completed last 
September by the Lewis and Lawson Harbor Service of Clinton, lowa; 
they firmly anchored the pole 18-feet below water level. 
Last December, Donald Haines, a lineman for Commonwealth Edison, 
responded to a “plea for help” and volunteered to climb the pole and 
attach the preconstructed nesting platforms to the pole. The twelve 
nesting structures were built by Frank Mazo of the Department's Division 
of Land and Historic Sites. 
On Saturday, 31 January, the Haines family and friends left St. 
Charles and arrived at the Carroll County meeting place about 10:00 a.m. 
The river (Mississippi) at this location was solid ice and covered with 
three inches of snow. We loaded their toboggan with ihe necessary gear 
and the nesting structures and headed for the pole—a mile from shoreline. 
The laden toboggan was difficult to pull and our footing was poor — but 
we made it. By 2:00 p.m. the job was completed. 
Although many people deserve credit for assisting with this project, 
| want to especially thank Donald Haines for his time, talent and interest 
in conservation. The pictures readily show that completion of this project 
was no easy task. (Photos by the author). 
—Department of Conservation 
Springfield, Illinois 62706 
