Our VP Cheryl has been hard at (lovingly unpaid) work at IBRRC this weekend taking care of a peck of pelicans who have been adversely affected by all the runoff pollution in their water. It is hard, unforgiving work. These birds are nearly as tall as she is, and their beak can function as prodigious bayonet. Still the white pelican is one of Cheryl’s favorite birds in all the world, so she was happy to send this photo of a recovering patient:
Jon was treated to a whirlwind of goodwill at the bustling, dynamic, constantly updating bird rescue at IBRRC. He was put immediately to work under the direction of their head “handyman” who is a retired refinery worker married to one of the regular volunteers. Together they built cages, fences, ramps and perches for some 700 complaining and pecky rescued birds (more were delivered by the Coast Guard).
Both days he was there volunteers filled the place, some drop ins and locals who just wanted to help. Yesterday a maintenance crew from nearby 6-Flags amusement park was “loaned” for the effort, and since they were used to building tanks for dolphins, they were naturals at building tanks for scoters and murres.
Jon came home smiling and exhausted both days, and promptly sent a volunteer alert to his fellow employees at the powerplant, who in turn want to help out anyway that they can. If you’re interested in offering a few hours of help, contact the good folk at IBRRC or just drop in. Monetary Donations are needed also. IBRRC will tell you what they need and show you what to do. Don’t know anything about birds or which end of a hammer to hold? How about laundry? Food service? Clean-up? Think of something you can do, because they most likely need it and will be appreciative. You’ll feel great after and bouyed with a spirit that knows that there are good people doing grand things in the world. I promise.
IBRRC brought back 100 birds last night, only 3 died in transport. Now they’re down to the grueling (and pecky!) work of washing and hydrating each one. Latest Update Here. Cheryl was there to help and took this picture. And guess who else was there? Penny and John Weigand who did the Comeback Kids book on the Martinez Beavers. They are doing a similar book on IBRRC, and just happened to be visiting that day. What a lucky coincidence for them! And for all those birds who got rescued and will be given free health care.
Speaking of which, have you seen this? It is a remarkable example of the kind of politics I aspire to, charming, courageous, sneaky and impossible to ignore
There’s a massive algae bloom off the Oregon and Washington coast. No one knows why, but it means that the oceans are covered with a thick foam. The foam washes away the protective oils on the water birds, leaving them without the ability to repel water and stay warm. Thousands of birds are washing up on shore, many dead or too weak to survive. The rescue center seen above had stepped boldly up to take care of scoters, grebes, loons, murres, and other shore birds from washington, but now is overwhelmed by its own birds as the effects of the bloom move south. They were overwhelmed and sent some birds north to a sister facility. Now they need help from California.
Enter IBRRC. (International Bird Rescue & Research Center). They are experts at dealing with these kinds of situations, but this is different. It’s like the effect of an oil spill without the oil.. They dispatched a volunteer friday night to go to Oregon and rent a truck that could bring some 200 birds back to their head quarters in suisun in animal carriers. They are starting with the loons which are the most time sensitive. In anticipation of the arrival they put out a massive volunteer call which is how I heard about it. Our own Cheryl Reynolds, will be there monday and probably many days after to help.
P. CHILTON/Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team
A red-throated Loon, covered in foam, lies in the sand near the Klipsan beach approach on the northern end of the Long Beach Peninsula. The bird was still alive when this photo was taken.
If you can help IBRRC or the Wildlife Center in Astoria, please do. The frontline folk have been struggling to keep up and IBRRC has only dealt with this kind of bloom once before. No one knows why it happens. Sometimes its entirely natural, and sometimes its triggered by the actions of man. What would a sea be like with no shore birds? Help if you can.
