What's with the dead birds on the beach?

[Franny]

I have heard that there may be Red Tide in the Gulf....I hope we find an anwser soon.

 

[Rita]

I have heard that there may be Red Tide in the Gulf....I hope we find an anwser soon.

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Red tide showed up in small amount in Walton Co on 4/23 but not enough to have an effect according to Fish & Wildlife Research Institute:

http://research.myfwc.com/engine/do...=09rtstatnw0423.pdf&objid=9670&dltype=article

Fish and Wildlife Research Institute



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[wallymom]

I did see several of the smaller black birds. BUT..I saw TWO very large, white sea birds! VERY SAD! One of the black birds was a little different; it had beautiful orange coloring all over its chest. What struck me as odd (besides the number of them) was the fact that there was such a variety! The two big sea birds made me especially sad. I kind of wish someone would remove them from the beach because it's awful to have to see them laying there. I didn't have anything with me to properly remove them and wasn't sure if I should.

 

[sunspotbaby]

Maybe one of ya'll that have seen them/know where to find them should call FWC. At least make them aware of the variety of the species. Who knows what's caused it and if many of you have never seen this, it could be a valid concern, and i would think even possibly a health concern.

Don Ware - Choctawhatchee Audubon Society: 850-862-6582
or
FWC's Wildlife Alert hotline: 888-404-FWCC (888-404-3922)

 

[Beach Runner]

Exactly. Bird flu?

 

[wallymom]

I just talked with Don Ware. He's on his way over and we're going to walk the beach so he can see the birds. I'll post his comments after we get back!

 

[Rita]

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Here in DFW metroplex recently a lot of migrating Cedar Waxwings were found dead in McKinney. Speculation was that they had eaten fermenting berries.

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[tsutcli]

The birds I have seen have dark or perhaps black wings but they have a colored head and breast. They would appear to be little black birds if they were perhaps face down on the beach but all the ones I saw that were face up were yellow and red and I am certain about that.

 

[enfuego]

Just a guess - maybe migratory birds that ingested something poisonous on their journey? Casualties of an oil rig fire?

or something closer to home like a ciggy butt or they may have ingested the dog poop that is left on our beach...;-)

 

[Rita]

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Someone posted this black & red bird found dead off the TX gulf coast. It looks tropical to me with the eye bars and black crest.
Dead Bird on beach on Flickr - Photo Sharing!@@AMEPARAM@@http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/4546792405_e2f6b0ef14_m.jpg@@AMEPARAM@@4546792405@@AMEPARAM@@e2f6b0ef14
You'll need to click on it to see the bird.

I wonder if the ash from volcano could contribute to dead birds, as well as burning of fuel from rig where birds perched in migration or flew through.


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