The Cosco Busan oil spill is nearly three weeks old. Crews are still searching for oiled animals and working to remove oil from beaches and rocks. See the map (right) where the oil is being reported and where crews are working in San Francisco Bay. Read the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) report on … Read more
From Letters to the Editor, San Francisco Chronicle: I work on Alcatraz Island. The ferry ride to and from work is a beautiful one. The oil from the Cosco Busan spill no longer fills the water in every direction, though the south side of Alcatraz still reeks of diesel fuel. News of the disaster no … Read more
New bird care numbers for the SF spill, now more than two weeks old, have been posted: Birds arrived live: 1,053Washed: 767Died/euthanized: 472Released: 122Found dead in field: 1,544 Bird numbers also updated daily on this blog’s right hand column.If you do find an oiled bird, please call (415) 701-2311. OWCN numbers updated: 11/21/07 @ 8:00 … Read more
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 … Read more
There’s a great video report on the efforts to rescue oiled birds by the folks at Richardson Bay Audubon Center & Sanctuary. The video includes a first person account from Brooke Langston, who is the center’s director. If you haven’t visited this area of San Francisco Bay, I recommend it. It’s an important feeding area … Read more
Latest numbers on the SF Bay oiled bird response: 1,023 live birds in care608 washed of oil317 died/euthanized38 Released birds 1,255 found dead in the field* *Animals found dead include:758 visibly oiled295 unoiled202 unassessed2 raccoons On Friday, November 16th, 38 birds – the first batch of cleaned birds – were released near Half Moon Bay. … Read more
They say things come in threes and this month it’s proving catastrophically true for oiled birds worldwide. On the heels of the San Francisco Bay spill, this week a major spill hit the Black Sea area of Russia. Up to 30,000 birds are reported to be dead after an oil tanker leaked 560,000 gallons of … Read more
In wake of oil spill, bird rescuers work against clock, the odds: “…A group of net-wielding bird rescuers in white Tyvek coveralls converged on the scoters from two sides. As the lead netter yelled, “Go, go, go, go, go!” they charged. The ducks, unaware that they were being rescued, fled for the water. Three got … Read more
Note: This is Jay Holcomb’s latest update from inside the bird rehabilitation center in Cordelia: We currently have about 970 Live birds at the center and over 200 of them have made it to the pools and are reconditioning their feathers, eating and resting. By no means are they home free but they are 75% … Read more
Latest numbers on the oiled bird response: 970 live birds in care496 washed of oil268 died/euthanized 1,113 found dead in the field* *Animals found dead include:401 visibly oiled217 unoiled495 unassessed2 raccoons Most of the birds treated include Scoters, Scaups, Grebes, Loons and Cormorants. A complete list of birds affected by the spill will be compiled … Read more