"I discovered possibly 43 seabirds and may have missed more on August 3, 2019, just on the southwest side and did not go further on southeast side of our beach. Not sure, maybe they died of hunger."
Observation by Diane Abraham:
I discovered possibly 43 seabirds and may have missed more on August 3, 2019, just on the southwest side and did not go further on southeast side of our beach. Not sure, maybe they died of hunger. Our IGAP (Indian General Assistance Program) Coordinator also mentioned that her brother told her that our water temperature last weekend (couple of days ago) was between 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit. My aunt talked to someone from Manakotak, and he said he saw dead seabirds too, but they are 10 miles from the bay. Shared via email with Erica Lujan
8/14/19 Update from Diane Abraham: Igushik River is a stream 50-miles long from Manakotak, Alaska, southwestern part of Bristol Bay, 43.9 miles from Twin Hills, Alaska. One of the local people discovered amounts of dead seabirds, possibly similar to Twin Hills' dead seabirds. Thank you LEO observation center and survey team for your hard work.
Hillary Burgess, Science Coordinator with the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST), writes:
At least one of the birds looks like a fairly fresh shearwater. With shearwater species, getting a photo that includes the profile of the bill and some sort of scale (if not a ruler than something with a known size like a coin, phone, credit card etc.) is super helpful for ID. COASST will add this observation to the total tally and location of birds observed in this event, and update the map on the fact sheet accordingly. Thanks for sharing!
Comments from LEO Editors:
This observation has been shared with US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), COASST, and the Natural Resources Department at the Bristol Bay Native Association.
The USFWS is collaborating with state, federal, and tribal partners, as well as local community observers, to document observations of dead seabirds along the coast. Seabird deaths have become more common in Alaska since 2015. This year, murres and puffins were found along the coast of the northern Bering and Chukchi seas beginning in May. In June, shearwaters were documented along the coast of Bristol Bay, near Togiak, Naknek, Egegik, Pilot Point, and Port Heiden.
The LEO Network will pass on all observations of dead seabirds to the USFWS and COASST. Observers can also report observations of sick or dead birds to regional partners:
• North Slope: Taqulik Hepa (907) 852-0350
• Northwest Arctic: Cyrus Harris (907) 442-7914
• Bering Strait Region: Brandon Ahmasuk (907) 443-4265 or Gay Sheffield (907) 434-1149
• Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta: Jennifer Hooper (907) 543-7470
• Bristol Bay: Gayla Hoseth (907) 842-6252
• Pribilof Islands: Lauren Divine (907) 257-891-3031
• Unalaska: Melissa Good (907) 581-1876
• Aleutians: Karen Pletnikoff (907) 222-4286
Or report by phone or email to the USFWS:
1-866-527-3358 or AK_MBM@FWS.GOV
Erica Lujan
