Another 35 birds were released back into the wild Monday at Heart’s Desire Beach at Tomales Bay. All the birds were washed of oil at the IBRRC/OWCN bird rescue center.
The birds released included 16 Surf Scoters, 17 Western Grebes, one Black Turnstone and one Common Loon.
The bird release was moved north because tar balls have been discovered in the water around Half Moon Bay – near the first release site. Last Friday, 38 washed birds were released at Pillar Point Harbor about 25 miles south of San Francisco.
Tar balls are fragments or lumps of oil weathered to a semi-solid or solid consistency. These are most likely remnants from the SF Bay oil that occurred on November 7, 2007.