Normally when I go birding I enjoy keeping a running tally of the species I’ve seen. But there’s one list that only gets more painful the longer it gets.
As of today, our video team in Louisiana has seen 14 species of oiled birds: Brown Pelican, Royal, Sandwich, and Forster’s terns, Laughing and Herring gulls, American Oystercatcher, Black-necked Stilt, Sanderling, Snowy Egret, Cattle Egret, Roseate Spoonbill, American White Pelican, and Reddish Egret.
In addition to that list, birders have reported to eBird oiled Great Egret, Tricolored Heron, Ruddy Turnstone, Red-necked Phalarope, and Black Skimmer. Additional reports from other sources include Northern Gannet and Black-crowned Night-Heron. That’s a total of 21 species so far. If anyone knows of any additional reported species, please leave a note in the comments.
I’m headed to the Gulf Coast tomorrow to join our video team, and will continue to update here with what we’re seeing.
(Youtube video by Gerrit Vyn, photos by Ben Clock. Please reblog, retweet, embed, Facebook, and generally share.)
5 Comments
Oh my goodness, these images are appalling. Thank you for keeping the birding community updated on these issues and for your hard work in helping. I will be posting this to my facebook page.
add Common Tern to the list .In April people of St Pete witnessed an incredible sight.There was an estimated 22,000 Common Terns at Fort Desoto.It was great to see these numbers because most birders know Common Tern is not that common.We hoped the terns avoided the accident but 1 oiled tern was captured by IBRCC and rehabbed AND RELESED IN MERRITT ISLAND WILDLIFE REFUGE…
also add Least Bittern I don’t think this one survived.
Matt from St Pete
Another quick point 1300 birds have been confirmed dead(bodies recovered) I am curious to what percent this is of overall dead.Most bodies will never be recovered.I think it is only 10 percent.If you are not from the Gulf Coast I can tell you that the conditions are not like birding on a boardwalk.
Each step you can sink into mud up to your hips, poisonous snakes, stinging +biting bugs and this time of year the heat is oppresive with heat index reaching to 110 each day.On a daily basis rough weather (thunderstorms) form quickly.It is not a job for the weak.
Matt In St Pete waiting for “our turn ” with the oil
It would be helpful to us for people in LA. to tell us what failed in keeeping the oil out of the estuaries.Did the lack of or type of BOOM fail?
1 of the Northern Gannets survived and was released at Egmont Key in St Pete.We do see Northern Gannets (1 st year birds) out in the Gulf while boating in Summer.
Matt from St Pete
Thanks for your comments. I would be interested in hearing more about the oiled Least Bittern sighting.