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Subject:

Fwd: Movements of oiled gulls

From:

Phil Davis

Reply-To:

Maryland Birds & Birding

Date:

Thu, 2 Dec 2004 20:00:53 -0500

MD Osprey:

The following message is from Nick Pulcinella, of PABirds. He discusses and 
requests information on sightings of Delaware River oil marked birds from 
other locations, especially, from Maryland. For people that are not 
subscribed to PABirds, I'm sure you can forward sighting reports directly 
to Nick.

Phil


>From: "Nick Pulcinella" <>
>To: "PA Birds Listserv" <>
>Cc: "Davis, Phil" <>
>Subject: Movements of oiled gulls
>Date: Thu, 2 Dec 2004 15:57:58 -0500
>X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.2180
>X-ELNK-AV: 0
>
>Hi PA Birders,
>
>As most everyone on this list knows the oil spill on the lower Delaware 
>River is an absolute ecological disaster.  I was in the area for a while 
>today spotting for oiled birds and globs of oil are continuing to wash ashore.
>
>If there is a possible upside to this mess, we may have a chance to learn 
>a little bit about the winter movement of gulls originating or feeding in 
>this area. Soon after the spill oiled gulls were noted flying over the 
>Rose Tree Park Hawkwatch located in Media, Delaware Co. This location is 
>in a direct route for gulls feeding along the Delaware R. and then 
>roosting on Springton Res. Today as I drove past Springton Res. about 90% 
>of the gulls seen had some oil on their underparts.  It has always been 
>suspected that gulls roosting at Springton were feeding on the Delaware 
>but there was never proof before. Oiled gulls have also been noted on this 
>listserve at Peace Valley Park in Bucks Co. which is kind of expected 
>because of the close proximity (as the gull flies) to the Delaware R. What 
>I found completely astonishing was Tom Johnson's report of oiled gulls at 
>Memorial L. in Lebanon Co. about 90 miles from the spill site.
>
>Having oiled gulls is akin in a morbid way to having color-marked birds. I 
>think this gives us a unique opportunity to learn something about the 
>movements of these gulls in terms of numbers and the distance they travel. 
>I haven't checked the lakes here in Chester Co. but I would bet that I 
>would find a number of oiled gulls going to evening roost at Struble L. or 
>Marsh Creek SP but I also wonder about the gulls roosting at Blue Marsh, 
>L. Ontelaunee, the lower Susquehanna R. and even Conowingo Dam.
>
>Many birders will soon be converging at Conowingo Dam to witness the large 
>numbers of Bald Eagles that gather there, so it will be interesting to see 
>if oiled gulls are reported.
>
>I think it would be of interest if anyone observing oiled gulls would 
>report the location to the listserve.
>
>It will take months to clean up the mess along the Delaware and we are 
>getting into the season when small numbers of Great Cormorants begin to 
>arrive and feed along the length of the river from lower Bucks Co. to the 
>DE state line. This area is the only location I know of where this species 
>regularly occurs in PA in winter. This spill could be a disaster to this 
>small wintering population. A small number of Tundra Swans also attempt to 
>winter here especially in the area of the Commodore Barry bridge. They 
>usually arrive during the first 10 days of December. I haven't noticed any 
>yet and it would be sad to see these beautiful birds covered with this 
>black gooey muck.
>
>Nick Pulcinella
>West Chester
>Chester County

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Phil Davis      Davidsonville, Maryland     USA
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