Since Tuesday, October 20, the Wildlife Center of the North Coast in Astoria has been inundated with hundreds of seabirds who have been sickened from foam produced by a foreign species of algae not previously seen in our area before. As the algae die and decay, they produce a slimy foam that strips the natural waterproofing from the birds’ feathers.
Live birds are being found on the beaches in the Long Beach area starving, dehydrated and hypothermic, having lost the insulation normally provided by their waterproof plumage. Residual waves from as Alaskan storm have contributed to the problem. The churning wave action breaks up the cells of the dying algae resulting in thick foam that comes ashore. The birds affected include the Common Murres, Loons, and Surf Scoters.
It is unknown at this time, how long this situation will last, how many birds have died, or if the foam created by the algae will continue to spread down the coast.
The Wildlife Center in Astoria is the only rehabilitation center in the Washington and Oregon area that has the expertise to care for these injured seabirds. They have taken in at least nearly 300 hundred birds in the last 2 days with more sick birds continuing to be brought in. They are in dire need of cash donations to cover the huge costs to feed and care for the birds as they are a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that relies totally on public donations (they do not receive any government funding). Other items needed include good used towels, large dog kennels, and bleach. In addition, experienced volunteers are also needed to assist with the care of the injured birds.
If you have rescued distressed seabirds, please place the bird in a box and keep it in a warm and dry area. Do not give it food or water and do not attempt to wash the bird. Please call the Wildlife Center of the North Coast at 503-338-0331 for further assistance.
Cash donations may be made by online through the Wildlife Center’s website: www.coastwildlife.org.
Checks may be sent to Wildlife Center of the North Coast, P.O. Box 1232, Astoria, OR 97103.
In the Vancouver/Portland area, donations of towels, kennels, or bleach may be left at Salmon Creek Plastic Surgery, 14411 NE 20th Ave, Suite 103, Vancouver, WA 98686.
--------------------------- First Hand Accounts of Maimed Birds ---------------------------------
***** We had some sort of toxic algae bloom??? come ashore all up and down the Long Beach coast yesterday, October 20th. It was estimated there were over 200 birds on shore suffering from from hypothermia and starvation due to loss of their water-proofing. This is my limited info on the subject. Sharnelle spent ALL day yesterday picking up birds there along with Herb, and Kurt. I made two trips there to pick up birds at the Washington Humane Society in Long Beach to the center and back to Long Beach again. I hauled 30-40 murres and loons on my first trip and 25-30 on the 2nd trip. Kurt had driven about 30 birds to the Center too. Sharnelle had to put birds loose in the back of her covered truck so who knows how many she brought back.
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The important message here is that you send out a call to volunteers to come help at the Center. We are really short of any type of large kennel type crates. We need some good towels and we always need bleach.
We have an in-take system going at the center now. It is slow and methodical but a good system for processing that many birds. I left mid afternoon and Barb, Jack, and Josh were coming this afternoon. We still have people bringing birds!!!
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Curt Clumpner, from the International Bird Rescue Research Center (IBRRC), an organization that provides assistance at major oil spills, came and took over setting up just the small cage room for all the loons. He is such a knowledgeable bird fella and was tremendous help today taking over the set-up for just the loons. That left all the other birds for us to take on, but sorting out the loons was major help.
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First, I don't think this disaster is still unfolding as there were birds being brought in last night as late as 9:30. The account the last person gave was that there were still birds on the beach, most of them loons. While at the center there were multiple calls I over heard that involved Sharnelle giving rescue advice to folks who were trying to help birds in distress.
The center is overflowing with birds with every conceivable space holding murres and loons. I could only hazard a guess, but there must be around 300.
I arrived to a well organized "processing and swimming" segment. The first step in the rehabilitation process involving hydrating, deworming, and a vitamin pill followed by a period of time in water to bath the birds. During the swim session, areas, many of them makeshift, were prepared to house the birds with clean bedding. This was followed by feeding each group.
The murres were very skinny but feisty and fighting for survival. I can only imagine their determination to live as I was poking that big syringe filled with ringers down their throats. What must be a rather terrifying experience for them? Many showed their displeasure by giving me a well aimed peck.
Around nine P.M., Sharnelle and I were winding things down when the lights went out. We spent a while with lanterns then with the help of a volunteer who brought birds we got the generator going and finished up feeding and bedding birds before calling it a night as someone had crashed into a power line up the road and the estimated fix was 2 A.M.
Sorry to run but just got a Murre off Oceanside beach and need to pick up a falcon in Pacific City.
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