It has been a tremendously rewarding week for us oiled bird carers at the Hammond, Louisiana bird care facility. In the last seven days we have released 197 clean, healthy birds back to the wild. At 2:00 AM this morning, 62 healthy birds were loaded into carriers and transported to the Atchafalaya State Wildlife Refuge for release. See photo, above, of Roseate Spoonbill being released.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries personnel released the rehabilitated birds — including Roseate Spoonbills, Skimmers, Gulls, and Terns.
This was the fourth bird release within the State of Louisiana. To date, more than 800 birds have been released throughout the Gulf Coast since the BP oil spill began in April 2010.
To top off the busy day, we were honored with a visit to the Hammond center from Rear Admiral Paul Zukunft, the Federal On-Scene Coordinator for the oil spill response.
Toward the end of the day we were preparing for possible bad weather that is approaching. There’s a storm off the Gulf Coast that has a 70% chance of developing into a tropical storm.
Meanwhile, our youngest baby pelican is doing really well. In picture he’s playing with a stick. Playing with sticks and grass and mimicking nest building keeps the baby pelicans busy throughout the day. Soon this youngster will have another pelican about the same age to interact with. It’s one of about 150 or so oiled birds that have been admitted for care in the last week. Right now this bird shares his pen with some older juvenile pelicans.
thank you so much for all that you continue to do and have done.
OMG THANK U THANK U THANK U FOR EVERYTHING U HAVE DONE AND DO. THIS NEWS MAKES MY DAY. AND THANKS AGAIN AND AGAIN…have been so worried about all the birds and fish and everything. I just wish it didn't happen so that NON of them were ever hurt scared or for the ones who died. BUT TY 4 teh ones U saved.
You guys are the best and give the rest of us Hope. Thank you for all you do.
We have been following your progress with the birds. You all do such wonderful work and we appreciate everything that you are doing. Thank you again!
thanks for your great work saving these birds!
I hope they will be safe from oil where you released them????
How many Roseate Spoonbills did you release, just that one or others too?
We do hope they're safe back in the wild, too. Government wildlife officials made the final call on where to release birds…Around 20-30 Roseate Spoonbills were released throughout the spill.