[Birdnet] Dead Birds

[Jolene Hatch]

Just wanted to pass on information about the dead birds along the
Antelope Island Causeway.    The birds collected and tested from
Farmington Bay have tested positive for Avian Botulism.  This outbreak
has affected American Avocets, Black-necked Stilts, Northern Shovelers,
Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Phalarope and there may be other species.
I have spoken with DWR and they will not be issuing a clean up effort. 
The area will not smell good and is definately not a pretty sight but it
occurs with large populations of birds.  An outbreak of avian botulism
or cholera is a natural occurance on the lake and many times it is a
natural population control. This is not the first and will definately
not be the last time we see dead birds.   

I am passing on information I received from John Luft  -GSL Avian
Biologist whom received information from Tom Aldrich - Migratory Game
Bird Program Coordinator with DWR.  

"We had about a 20 mph south wind that had wind-rowed the carcasses
along the south side of the road. Few carcasses were noted on the north
side.  The following represents my best estimate of the number of dead: 
 3,350 carcasses along the causway,  600 dead from the east end of the
causeway south to the sewer discharge (North Davis Co.?), 1,275 from the
sewer discharge to the upper end of the Layton-Kaysville marsh, total
5,225.   Earlier this year we saw a similar event at the end of our
Turpin Dike at Farmington Bay.  We estimated 2,000-3,000 total dead from
the earlier outbreak.  Most of the birds along the causeway appeared to
be ducks, mostly shovelers, with a few shore and other birds mixed in. 
We have approximately 10,000 live ducks currently using the area, and
populations are building daily. 

Cooler weather this weekend will hopefully stall the progress of the
die-off."
Tom Aldrich 801-538-4789  tomaldrich at utah.gov 



HAPPY BIRDING!! 
Jolene

Jolene Hatch
Wildlife Biologist
Antelope Island State Park
801-209-4678 office
jolenehatch at utah.gov