I found this adult Northern Gannet next to shore, struggling to keep its head above water. Thirty meters away the beach was littered with the bodies of its kin. -DOL
A Northern Gannet soars, black wingtips setting off a bright white body and yellow head. Face down, it scans the sea surface far below looking for the schools of capelin that provide much of its sustenance. In the distance a school of dolphins breaks the surface alerting the birds to the presence of the fish. The gannets home in quickly on the potential bonanza and then, spotting their prey below, pack their wings in tight against their body as they plunge headfirst, like a missile, into the ocean eventually resurfacing with a fish. It’s a sight I never get tired of watching.
So it was very difficult today to watch the struggles of an adult gannet right next to a rocky shore, trying hard to maintain its balance in the wind and waves and keep its head above water. Only meters away, high and dry on the beach, lay the bodies of its kinsmen…dead.
Seabird carcasses strewn along a beach – a common sight now in Newfoundland. -DOL
Seabirds on Canada’s East coast have been hit by avian influenza -“flu”- and have been dying by the thousands…literally. Beaches around Newfoundland are strewn with the carcasses of dead – and dying – birds. Northern Gannets, Common Murres, Razorbills, Greater Black-backed Gulls, Black-legged Kittiwakes and probably many others; the above are just the ones I can attest to first-hand.
Adult Common Murre (“bridled” variety – see the thin white eye stripe). -DOL
Seabirds tend to nest in large, compact colonies and this makes them highly susceptible to the spread of virulent diseases – not unlike the present human condition only for the birds there’s no vaccines, face masks, distancing requirements, or hospital recourse for badly infected. They simply die; some close to or on shore but most offshore. The bodies strewing the beaches are likely just the tip of the iceberg, so many are lost at sea. It’s difficult to predict what impact this will have on the various populations and on the ecology of the sea itself – seabirds play an important role in recycling nutrients back into the environment.
This adult Razorbill was standing alone on a sandy beach, dazed, unable to move away from my approach. -DOL
My understanding is that dead birds can be found in good numbers right around the island. I found large numbers on beaches of the Avalon Peninsula and in the northeast around Deadman’s Bay – the only two spots I searched. In both areas carcasses could be seen strung out along the beach at the high tide mark, as far as you could see. So the die-off is VERY significant….and concerning….and, in the end, sad.
Juvenile Black-legged Kittiwake – the disease is hitting both young and old. -DOL
Rick
This is distressing. I can only fathom the impact on you upon seeing these dreadful sites first hand.
Yes, Christine, it was gut-wrenching. The gannet had a hard time stabilizing itself to keep from drowning and was shivering – a last defense in birds (and humans) against hypothermia. The Razorbill just sat there, unphased by my presence – it would succumb to the disease….or a predator. And no way for me to intercede….
Being helpless is a horrible reality. I was hoping that not having heard much about Avian Flu in the news that it had worked it way through in the spring and would hopefully not have a big impact on birds this fall. I’m sorry to see that I’m wrong and to see the devastating affect it’s having on sea birds in particular. Were you seeing any evidence of it in the Arctic with the SNBUs this summer? Will it survive the winter temperatures or will it also play a factor in SNBU banding this winter season?