[SEMCO] Lecture on seabird mortality sponsored by Mass Audubon

[Melissa Lowe]

For Immediate Release:                                                                                                         Contacts:        
October 11, 2003                                Melissa Lowe (Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary): 508 349-2615
 
Causes of Death Among Seabirds and Effects of Bouchard Oil Spill Studied by Tufts University and Subject of Upcoming Lecture at Mass Audubon in Wellfleet. 

South Wellfleet, MA. - Since March 2003 volunteers from the Mass Audubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary have been walking Cape Cod beaches each month to look for dead birds. These efforts are part of the Seabird Ecological Assessment Network (SEANET), a collaborative project launched by Tufts Center for Conservation Medicine / Wildlife Clinic (Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine) to monitor the northeastern coastal corridor of North America. At the Tufts Wildlife Clinic, calls are often received about large numbers of dead and dying birds on our coast, but until this point, there has not been any organized reporting of these events, as there is for marine mammals and sea turtles. Numerous threats contribute to these mortality incidents, such as diseases, fisheries operations, persistent organic pollutants and metals, and oil pollution. 
Drs. Mark Pokras and Rebecca Harris from Tufts University will present a lecture about these monitoring efforts on Saturday, November 1 at 2 p.m. The talk will be held at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. Pokras and Harris will report on the patterns and causes of death determined so far, including an update on the effects of the Bouchard oil spill in Buzzards Bay that occurred on April 27, 2003. The majority of the birds killed in this spill were common loons, as the timing of the spill hit when many loons were staging along the coast, preparing to migrate inland. Endangered piping plovers and roseate and common terns were also arriving on nesting beaches and islands just as the oil spill occurred, so monitoring during the breeding season was also an important task. SEANET volunteers are contributing information on the lasting effects of oil on marine birds, which can be detected by completing internal and toxicological examinations of dead birds that may not show external signs of oiling. Long after the cleanup efforts are complete, the effects of oil can linger, illustrating the importance of long-term monitoring. Pokras and Harris will talk about how these efforts are expanding geographically, and will discuss using seabirds as indicators of marine environmental health.
The lecture is scheduled for Saturday, November 1, 2 p.m. and will be held at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. Cost for the lecture is $4 for Mass Audubon members and $6 for non-members. Information on becoming a volunteer to walk beaches regularly in search of beached birds will also be provided. Volunteers who participate in this study can attend the talk free of charge. Registration is required and reservations can be made by calling the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary at 508-349-2615. 
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The Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary is located on the west side of Route 6, immediately north of the Eastham/Wellfleet town line.  Trails are open daily 8 am to dusk.  Sanctuary admission is free for members; $5 adults, $3 children for non-members. Call (508) 349-2615 for information.

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Melissa Lowe
Education Coordinator
Massachusetts Audubon Society
Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
PO Box 236, South Wellfleet, MA 02663
Phone: 508-349-2615  Fax: 349-2632
mlowe at wellfleetbay.org

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