IBRRC is pleased to announce a New Year’s Day benefit concert “Jazz for the Birds” in Oakland featuring grammy-nominated pianist Matt Herskowitz. (See his photo on the right) The concert will be held Tuesday, January 1, 2008 at 7 pm at Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Ave. Oakland 94611. The suggested donation is $10-$20 … Read more
At least six weeks after the Cosco Busan oil spill struck San Francisco Bay, the popular beaches at Angel Island will reopen on Saturday. The reopening is with an asterisk. State officials are warning visitors there still may be tar balls of oil remaining on the island beaches. The same oil killed thousands of birds … Read more
An environmental chemist looking into the rush to ban the use of bunker fuel on ships, says the alternatives, especially diesel can be harder to cleanup. Christopher Reddy’s Open Forum piece in the San Francisco Chronicle and is worth a careful read: “…Bunker oil is highly viscous, sticky, and floats. Bunker oil spills are visually … Read more
A month since the the Cosco Busan spilled 58,000 gallons of oil into San Francisco Bay, a new group of oiled birds has been found. At least a dozen dark-oiled birds have been found in the Half Moon Bay area and south toward Santa Cruz. The oil could certainly be remnants from the November 7, … Read more
Nearly a month after oil spilled into San Francisco Bay, oiled wildlife experts continue to rehabilitate and release oiled birds. To date, 347 washed birds have been set free. Video of bird release There have been nearly 2,400 confirmed deaths since the Cosco Busan container ship struck the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge on November 7 … Read more
From the San Francisco Chronicle’s Editorial: …A 2005 audit of the Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR) suggested that under staffing in its field offices could affect its ability to respond to a major marine oil spill. It would be inappropriate to put the OSPR in the position of evaluating its own level of … Read more
A total of 317 cleaned birds have been released back in the wild. As of November 29, 1,060 oiled birds arrived live to the bird center in Cordelia. The last bunch of birds are in rehabilitation pools getting ready for release. At least 573 died or were euthanized at the center after being oiled in … Read more
The makeshift bird rescue center at the Berkeley Marina setup days after the San Francisco Bay oil spill was closed on Monday. The Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN) moved all the operations to the International Bird Rescue and Research Center (IBRRC) in Cordelia. Hundreds of oiled birds were collected and stabilized at the temporary rescue … Read more
From the San Francisco Chronicle: …Bird experts figure that for every bird found dead or alive, about five to 10 others go unreported because they sink at sea, get eaten by predators or fly elsewhere. That would put the fatality number at up to 21,500 birds. Read more from the Nov. 27, 2007 article Subscribe … Read more
Species most often found covered in oil(In order of impact)1. Surf scoter2. Western grebe3. Eared grebe4. Greater scaup5. Horned grebe6. Ruddy duck7. Common murre8. Common loon9. Lesser scaup10. Clark’s grebe Dead oiled birds(In order of impact)1. Surf scoter2. Western grebe3. Common murre4. Western or Clark’s grebe*5. Brandt’s cormorant6. Greater scaup7. Eared grebe8. Double-crested cormorant9. Northern … Read more