MISC WATER BIRDS~2013

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 63313

Please begin your 2013 Posts here!!!

This topic may include: Herons, Kingfishers, Puffins, Swans, Coots, etc. Any water bird that does not fall into the Duck/Loon/Geese topic area..

Beth · **Posted:** Fri Apr 05, 2013 1:27 pm

I have been seeing news reports about a Puffin wreck (these last few weeks) so I decide to look for info...
Original posting - 26 March 2013

In the last few hours the CEH (Center for Ecology Hydrology) Press Office have been receiving reports of a puffin wreck (multiple unusual deaths) on the East Coast of Scotland and the North East England.

http://cehsciencenews.blogspot.com/2013 ... tland.html

Professor Mike Harris, a research fellow at the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and probably the world's leading expert on Atlantic puffins - he co-authored, together with Professor Sarah Wanless, the leading publication on the bird ‘The Puffin’ (published in 2011) - says:

“Reports emerged just a few days ago of dead puffins washed up on the beaches of East Scotland and North East England. This is likely to be the biggest 'wreck' since 1947. It comes at an unusual time of year, when the puffins are heading back to land to breed, The likely cause is the bad weather (particularly the recent run of strong Easterly winds). The birds appear to have died of starvation.”

Later this year CEH scientists will be carrying out the latest five year census of puffins on the Isle of May (one of Scotland's most important puffin colonies and the largest in the North Sea). Numbers declined at the last count in 2008, so this 'wreck' is almost certainly not good news for the long term health of Scotland's puffins.

Found this info on the comments 3/27/13...

We're seeing an unprecedented die-off of puffins (and razorbills as well) here on the east coast of the U.S. where I run a beached bird survey program: http://seanetters.wordpress.com/2013/02 ... ad-alcids/
Any reports from elsewhere along the North Sea?
We're starting necropsies now to pin down age/sex body condition and cause of death (where possible).

Beth · **Posted:** Fri Apr 05, 2013 4:28 pm

Also found this info on the Puffin cam in the USA...

http://explore.org/#!/live-cams/player/ ... burrow-cam

SCHEDULE UPDATE > Info on the webcam page

After wintering at sea, puffins are now molting into their colorful summer faces and setting their internal compasses for the Maine coast. This has been an especially rigorous winter on the North Atlantic, so we are waiting with much anticipation to see how many puffins, razorbills and other seabirds come home to Seal Island. Our plan is to have the Puffin Loafing Ledge camera and Burrow Cam active in early May. 2013 marks the 40th anniversary of Project Puffin and we are looking forward to celebrating puffins and seabird conservation with you live.

Beth · **Posted:** Sun May 26, 2013 10:31 pm

Puffin cams are up :eggthumbup:

~Scotland-Scottish Seabird Centre cams

~~Sumburgh Head webcam is located at the southern tip of the Shetland Mainland in
northern Scotland.
One egg-should be close to hatching...

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 63313

Operation Migration has begun...4 have already flown to the first stop, 5 miles from home base. This is an attempt to get the other 4 there. It was decided that #5 was too tired to fly and was herded into the pen. 3 on the runway with "mom"...hahahahahahaha

Let's just say these 3 were being very stubborn and will not travel by air at this point...crates are being assembled as I type...hee hee...

Beth · **Posted:** Wed Oct 02, 2013 11:06 am

Thanks for the OM update SgB!!

Lets give a Whoop :))
Field journal link

Beth · **Posted:** Tue Oct 08, 2013 10:16 am

OM update...
A Record We’d Prefer Not to Break
Oct.8,2013

Green Lake County, WI,
During the 2011 migration the cranes and crew we held captive at this same migration stopover for 10 days before the weather finally released its grip.

Today marks day 6 that Mother Nature has dished out wind, rain, and more wind, all from a southerly direction, and preventing us from advancing to the Marquette County stop, only 14 miles to the south.

Perhaps when the weather does finally cooperate, we’ll be able to make up for lost time and skip a stop…

Beth · **Posted:** Tue Oct 08, 2013 12:20 pm

This is so darn cute...From: In the Field with OM

The 2013 Whooperlympic Games?

Bird Cams Around the World

MISC WATER BIRDS~2013

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