Avian Influenza in Wild Birds
- Thread starter Heym SR20
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Hi Patrick,he never did reply so perhaps he has
pjkaz
Well-Known Member
Major outbreak down this way Devon & Cornwall, Scilly Isles. We have had bird sanctuaries and Paignton Zoo Having to destroy birds . I have stoped feeding the wild birds in my garden to avoid large concentrations of wild birds and have disinfected all the feeders .I have been surprised with the lack of guidance as how the general public can help . Paul
Not drowned yet, despite schoolboy error.
And have been chilling at dad's country place last week. Location due South of Alnwick. Due West of Warkworth.
Something very weird happening last week, the local lobster fishermen (two brothers, part timers, out of Amble), usually get 50 lobsters from their pots per week. But the numbers have been going up spectacularly. They have been going out every day recently and finding 80 lobsters per day, pots full, so much so that they don't' really know what to do with them. The local restaurant and posh pub grub outlets have their specials menus dominated by lobster lobster lobster, cooked every which way. Delicious, by the way.
So what are these lobsters eating, and why the explosion ? This doesn't happen instantly BTW, these properly sized lobsters haven't suddenly exploded in size from immature to become sellable overnight. Or maybe, actually, they have, given a sudden explosion of say dead seabirds to gorge upon.
It is actually quite worrying. The lobster fishers had been observing a gradual but steady decline in numbers over many previous years, and moderated their take, worrying that they might be over-fishing and eventually cause a collapse. But this year has gone mad, which is also equally concerning to them.
My worry: the winter migration from the North is soon coming. If we have ongoing hotspots of infection, which seems intractable and has not burned out over the Summer, as was the hope, then we will be a reservoir for further spread. There is nothing practically that can be done in the wild. The Farnes have been devastated already. For every dead or dying bird that washes up on a beach, then is noticed, and even analysed there must be so many times more that are not.
Sanctuaries, zoos etc. are a different matter, and, sadly, if infected there really isn't much choice about what has to be done.
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You should see if you can get a permit for Lindisfarne (Holy Island we call it) for wildfowling, or see if someone wil kindly let you tag along, It's a brilliant experience not to be missed!. Good luck in your endeavours though
Patrick
What next, Crazy Lobster Disease? Libido Lobsters eaten by humans, orgies in seafood restaurants as it jumps species.
Somehow I doubt it. I may be guilty of passing on duff info, and speculation from chatting with the locals. I should probably speak to the Northumberland Seafood community lobster hatchery and seafood centre in Amble to find out the actual situation.
Northumberland Seafood, community hatchery in Amble - Power to Change
That is, sort of, on my bucket list. But ATM I can only get (home) to Northumberland infrequently. Just to tag along would be very special I am sure.
Blessed with superb weather, which began to break on my last day, misty mornings, showers, sensible temperatures, and still green, not totally burned grass etc.
Back to Sunny Sussex by the Sea now, which also has its own delights. And fish, probably the best in the UK.
I see that from the official map. So sad, and apparently conveniently contained within county boundaries.
Avian influenza (bird flu): cases and disease control zones in England
Really bad down this way, a lot of dead birds of all varieties found up the Teign. The local commercial poultry boys are extremely worried
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