LEO Network

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The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
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Observations

No treasure found under the rainbow: The soil is full of plastic garbage
In the pictures, Måøya looks like a pristine natural gem on the coast of Trøndelag. But when scientists and adolescents started digging into the soil, they got shock.
Måøya, Frøya, Sør-Trøndelag, Norway
NRK
Solvår Flatås, Stein Lorentzen, Morten Andersen

Gray heron seen for first time in contiguous US, as species expands range
This tall waterbird, native to Eurasia, was spotted in Nantucket. Could the species soon establish a foothold in the Americas?
Madaket, Massachusetts, United States
National Geographic

These are among the rarest birds you can see in Norway
This week, bird enthusiast Nils Harry Lillejord experienced a kind of "holy grail" for those who watch birds. When he was on his way to work, he saw a Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus). The bird has only been seen twenty times since 1835.
Stormyrjordene, Bodø, Nordland, Norway
NRK

Grey Pigeon (Columba livia)
Invasive pigeons have made their way out of Alaska's large cities to fish camps on the west side of Cook Inlet.
Tyonek, Alaska, United States

Waterfowl Disappearance and Other Lake Ecosystem Changes
Residents note significant changes in the Christiansen Lake ecosystem since 2019. This includes fewer nesting birds, fish, and mammals around the lake, while the leech population has increased along with the occurrence of algal blooms.
Talkeetna, Alaska, United States

Juneau Raptor Center dealing with rain of injured eagles
Eight raptor casualties in a matter of weeks is a worrisome spike.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Juneau Empire

Puffin saved by lucky chance
A group on a glacier expedition on Langjökull yesterday stumbled across a puffin lying in the snow. According to group leader Martha Jónasdóttir, the bird was found right at the centre of the glacier—Iceland's second-largest.
Borgarnes, West, Iceland
RÚV

Brown booby makes rare visit to Ireland
Birders are continuing to flock to Greystones in Co Wicklow after what is believed to be the first ever sighting of a brown booby in Ireland.
Greystones, Leinster, Ireland
RTE.ie

﻿ ﻿Reports of dead seabirds raise concerns of another die-off
﻿The last few weeks have seen another alarming uptick in the number of dead, emaciated seabirds found washed  up on the shores in the Bering Sea.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

California condors return to Sequoia National Park for the 1st time in decades
They were sighted in an area that was historically part of the endangered bird’s range. At least six visited the park in late May.
KTLA

Pelicans spotted as far north as Kugluktuk, Nunavut
The arrival of pelicans in Kugluktuk, Nunavut was a surprise, but it's a sign of healthy pelican colonies in general, and in particular of the colony near Fort Smith, N.W.T.
Kugluktuk, Nunavut, Canada
CBC

New song in Canada's white-throated sparrows
Most bird species are slow to change their songs, preferring to stick with tried-and-true tunes to defend territories and attract females — but this shift went viral across Canada.
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
CBC

Trumpeter swans are newcomers to the nesting scene in Potter Marsh
Between the Seward Highway and Hillside neighborhoods, a pair of swans are raising five just-hatched cygnets. This is the first pair of swans to nest at Potter Marsh in the memory of Anchorage Coastal Refuge managers and local birders.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Oily substance found near Savoonga remains a mystery
About a month ago, residents of St. Lawrence Island found a patch of oily, white goo on the beach, along with some dead sea birds covered in the substance.
Savoonga, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Northern anchovy blooms bring more sea life to Burrard Inlet
Northern anchovy are becoming more comment perhaps due to warmer temperatures. A 10-centimetre-long fish represents an anchovy that's about a year old suggesting that the fish are spawned locally in the pelagic zone, or upper, warmer zone of the seawater.
Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada
CBC

Large landslides have passed in Alta
One person was evacuated and brought to safety after the landslide at Kråkneset in Alta municipality. A total of eight buildings were swept to the sea in the 650-metre landslide. Due to a high avalanche risk, police have still not entered the area.
Kråkenes, Alta, Norway
NRK
Sofie Dege Dimmen, Ida Loise Rostad, Idun Aalbu Rasmussen, Jo Hermstad Tronsen

Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar) in Anchorage
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Rare bird in historic visit to Sweden
A rare bird that has only been sighted twice before in Europe turned up in western Sweden on Sunday, causing great excitement among ornithologists.
Göteborg, Västra Götalands län, Sweden
Radio Sweden

Novice Bird Watcher Notes Change in Visiting Species
Spring brought a plethora of Indigo Buntings, Baltimore Orioles and Rufus Towhees.
Montrose, Pennsylvania, United States

Bald eagle stabbed in heart by loon
It had to be one of the strangest cases of eagle death that Danielle D'Auria has ever seen.
Highland Lake, Bridgton, Maine, United States
UnionLeader.com

Chukar (Alectoris chukar) in my backyard in Anchorage
Non-native chukar, used to train bird hunting dogs, spotted in Anchorage.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Northwestern Crow (Corvus caurinus) with Ticks
Ticks spotted on a Northwestern crow may have picked up ticks while scavenging for food.
Port Graham, Alaska, United States

Mysterious Illness Killing Australia's Gorgeous Rainbow Lorikeets
According to existing research, some kind of a toxin is responsible for triggering the death of rainbow lorikeets in Australia.
Australia
WorldAtlas

Watch: While Humans Stay Indoors, Urban Wildlife Comes Out To Play
Wild turkey sightings in Calgary and foxes in cities are becoming more common.
Canada
HuffPost Canada

Arctic Tern Arrives Early in Iceland
The first two arctic terns of the season were spotted in Southeast Iceland on Saturday morning, according to the Southeast Iceland Bird Observatory. Their arrival is two or three days earlier than usual. Bird enthusiasts across the country are following along with migratory species as they return to their breeding grounds in Iceland.
Iceland
Iceland Review

The Return of Wildlife to Urban Areas
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Over 70 Common Eiders Found Dead
Dozens of dead eiders have been found along the coast in Eastern Norway. The preliminary autopsy report shows no signs of bird flu, but the birds are thin and emaciated.
Larvik, Vestfold, Norway

'Nature is taking back Venice': wildlife returns to tourist-free city
Look down into the waters of the Venice canals today and there is a surprising sight – not just a clear view of the sandy bed, but shoals of tiny fish, scuttling crabs and multi-coloured plant-life.
Venice, Veneto, Italy
The Guardian

Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis) in Wasilla
Unusual winter sighting of a northern shrike (*Lanius borealis*) could become more common as temperatures rise.
Knik-Fairview, Alaska, United States

Mystery oil coating Westman Islands seabirds
Several dozen oil-covered seabirds have been discovered on the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago in recent days and weeks. The environment agency website states that most of the birds were found around the harbour on Heimaey and on Klauf beach. Oiled birds were first noticed as long ago as the start of this year.
Vestmannaeyjar, South, Iceland
RÚV

Spring migration early this year
Flocks of whooper swans have been grazing in a field in southwestern Finland, although these swans don't typically return to Finland until March or April, according to Finland’s environment administration.
Finland
Yle Uutiset

Stranded Fork-tailed Storm Petrel (Oceanodroma furcata)
Bella Bella 1, British Columbia, Canada
Twitter

Winter Robin (Turdus migratorius)
Robins are migratory birds, but may stay in one place if the temperature is warm and/or there is food available.

Massive anchovy school in White Rock draws a crowd
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said photographer Marissa Baecker, who was visiting White Rock from Kelowna on Christmas Day. “It wasn’t just a feeding, it was a feast.”
White Rock, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Anchovies take over White Rock shores
People in White Rock, B.C. are used to seeing fish in their waters but not quite like this.
White Rock, British Columbia, Canada
Facebook Watch

Seabird Aggregation Over Abundant Northern Anchovy (Engraulis mordax)
Professor John Reynolds shared the following video of his observation of a large aggregation of gulls and other coastal seabirds over a large aggregation of Northern Anchovy at White Rock, BC.
White Rock, British Columbia, Canada
Twitter

Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) North of Seasonal Range
The northernmost iNaturalist observation (November-March) of Black-crowned Night-Heron (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) in eastern North America.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Twitter

Rare flock of birds spotted in Oak Bay
Lesser Goldfinch birds were seen munching on local greenery
Oak Bay, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria News

Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia) with Bill Abnormality
A thick-billed murre (*Uria lomvia*) was spotted with a bill abnormality that could be attributed to poxvirus or other virus, trauma, tumor, or congenital abnormality.
Devilfish Point, Unalaska Bay

Pallets in the marsh melt in warmer climates
Palsmyr is threatened by climate change. At Ferdesmyra in Finnmark, the characteristic ice-filled pals that protrude from the terrain will be gone in a few years.
Ferdesmyra, Norway
Miljødirektoratet/Norwegian Environment Agency

Wildlife sat-nav goes awry as White Stork and Flamingo defy nature and fly to Siberia in winter
Frantic efforts to save the wrong-turn birds from harsh cold.
Barnaul, Altai Krai, Russia
Siberia Times

Mergansers (Mergus merganser) on Cheney Lake
Mergansers (*Mergus merganser*) are not common visitors to Cheney Lake, but a flock of about a dozen showed up in early November.

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) Sighting, Rare on Vancouver Island
This is one of just a small number of Blue Jay sightings recorded on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) Invasion of Cascadia
The Cascadia Bioregion, including Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, is outside of [the historical range of the Blue Jay *(Cyanocitta but they have been increasingly sighted in the region since the first one was sighted in Montana in 1958.
Cascadia Bioregion

Rare bird sighting brings crowds of birding enthusiasts to Vancouver Island
A yellow-browed warbler spotted in Panama Flats on Friday drew dozens of birding enthusiasts to Vancouver Island on Saturday
Panama Flats, Victoria, BC, Canada
CHEK

Schools of California Anchovy (Engraulis mordax)
Ross Bay, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Scarlet Honeyeaters (Myzomela sanguinolenta) Unusually Abundant in Brisbane
Sherwood Arboretum, Queensland, Australia

Ticks on Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)
Steller's jay has one tick on each foot. The ticks may be a species that is commonly found on birds or a species that was picked up from a mammal as the bird was scavenging.

Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) offshore of Vancouver
Sturgeon Bank Wildlife Management Area, British Columbia, Canada

Migratory birds still sighted as far as southern Finland
Various species can be spotted in different parts of the country till early October due to warm weather in the south.
Hanko, Uusimaa, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Shearwater (genus Puffinus) Bird Die-off
Eighteen dead shearwaters (genus *Puffinus*) have washed ashore at Humpy Cove. Additional birds were observed by other community members at Wide Bay and Morris Cove.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States
Chris Price, Karen Pletnikoff, Melissa Good, Kathy Kuletz, Brian Berube, Shayla Shaishnikoff, Hillary Burgess

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) at St Margerats Bay
In 2016, there was a documented Brown Pelican sighting in Port Renfrew, BC, and in 2018-2019 there were five others in Victoria, BC.
St. Margerats Bay, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

50 percent more baby puffins this year
The puffling season is at its height and locals and visitors are busy helping lost baby puffins out to sea.
Vestmannaeyjar, South, Iceland
RÚV

Latest Research From Chukchi Sea Finds More Warm Water, Harmful Algal Blooms
During their three weeks aboard the Healy, Bob Pickart and his team observed some Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). One was near Point Hope.
Near Point Hope, Alaska
KNOM Radio Mission

Hawaiian Petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis) off Haida Gwaii
This is the first photographed in BC and only the 5th ever recorded in the province.
Northwest of Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, Canada
Rare Bird Alert

Guadalupe Murrelet (Synthliboramphus hypoleucus) off Tofino
Multiple passengers on board were able to view and photograph the bird. This is the 3rd record for the province of BC.
Southwest of Tofino, BC, Canada
Rare Bird Alert
Mike Toochin, Melissa Hafting and Ilya Povalyaev

Dozens of dead seabirds found on Kivalina coast
About 20 to 30 medium-sized birds with black backs and white bellies were found spaced out along the entire beach of the island.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder

Dead Sooty Shearwaters (Ardenna grisea)
This is the 6th observation on this topic received in LEO Network from Southwest Alaska since July 22, 2019.
Quinhagak, Alaska, United States
Jennifer Hooper, Hillary Burgess, Brian Lefferts, Alyssa Gustafson, Kathy Kuletz, Erica Lujan

Short-tailed Shearwaters (Ardenna tenuirostris) Found on Chukchi Sea Beach
More than 50 birds and a seal were found along the shoreline.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States
Kathy Kuletz, Janet Mitchell, Gay Sheffield, Hillary Burgess

Fort Resolution residents spot American Black Vulture ‘way, way out of its range’
Residents posted photos of the bird on social media this week, remarking on the unusual sighting and sharing pictures of the animal perched and in flight. The bird, known for its dark plumage and black, featherless head, is typically a southern species, concentrated around Mexico, parts of Arizona, Eastern Texas and the East Coast. It’s rarely spotted in the Midwest or West Coast.
Fort Resolution, Northwest Territories, Canada
NNSL Media

Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens) Nesting on Bogoslof Island
"Since the last eruption event, most seabird species that previously nested on the island have returned and made attempts to breed again...but the habitat is currently not ideal."
Bogoslof Island, Alaska, United States
Melissa Good, Kathy Kuletz, Chris Price, Nikki Whittern

Short-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna tenuirostris) on the Kuskokwim
Nine short-tailed shearwaters (*Ardenna tenuirostris*) were seen floating in the Kuskokwim river, directly in front of Bethel. The birds were acting disoriented and farther up the Kuskokwim than normal.
Bethel, Alaska, United States
Cecilia Franko, Jennifer Hooper, Kathy Kuletz, Hillary Burgess

Dead Seabirds, Including Shearwaters (genus Ardenna), Found on Beach
"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."
Togiak, Alaska, United States
Gayla Hoseth, Kathy Kuletz, Diane Abraham, Hillary Burgess

Mass Die-off of Shearwaters (genus Ardenna)
"Within a week we saw thousands of shearwaters along the beaches, and witnessed hundreds dead. They would sit on the tideline unable to walk, foraging on dead fish that had washed ashore and trying to feed on the fish in the nets of the set net sites as well."
Egegik, Alaska, United States
CaSandera Johnson, Jessica Chernikoff, Kathy Kuletz, Erin Ranney, Jaclyn Christensen, Hillary Burgess, Melany Eakin

Dead Birds, Including Short-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna tenuirostris), Washed Up on Beach
The timing coincides with other sea bird deaths reported in St. Paul Island, Pilot Point, and Ugashik.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States
Kathy Kuletz, Jaclyn Christensen, Hillary Burgess

Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) in Tsawwassen
The bird flew in on the mudflats at high tide and joined a small flock of Western Sandpipers. This is the second record for the province of BC.
Beach Grove lagoon at Boundary Bay Regional Park, BC, Canada
Rare Bird Alert
Ilya Povalyaev, Melissa Hafting, Mike Toochin, Sharon Toochin and Richard Swanston

More dead marine mammals, birds found on region’s beaches
Alaska Sea Grant agent Gay Sheffield from Nome responded to report of a dead bowhead and a dead grey whale northeast of Shishmaref near Cape Espenburg.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Common Loon (Gavia immer) Calling Circle
Large groups of loons are rarely observed in the summer on Homer's Beluga Lake. Over a dozen were observed calling back and forth on Beluga Lake.
Homer, Alaska, United States

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) in Yukon
Way out side of typical range.
Mayo, Yukon, Canada

Add krill and mussels to the list of unusual marine deaths in Northwest Alaska
Village wildlife observers worry that the unusual warmth of oceans off Alaska is causing problems throughout the ecosystem.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) Breeding in Osoyoos
This is the first breeding record for this species in all of Canada.
Osoyoos, British Columbia, Canada

A rat was found dead on St. Paul Island in the Bering Sea. Here’s why that’s a big deal.
The Bering Sea island is breeding habitat for millions of seabirds, including rare migratory species. A “strike team” had been searching for the rogue rat for 10 months.
Saint Paul, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Cape Thompson: Gathering Murre (Uria aalge) Eggs
Murres along Cape Thompson are migrating earlier, allowing coastal community residents to collect eggs a few weeks earlier than normal.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States

Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) on BC's Central Coast
Goose Island, British Columbia, Canada

Dead Krill and Sea Birds, Stranded Ice Seals
A range of wildlife-related events have been occurring this month in Shishmaref and other parts of Norton Sound.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States
Anahma Shannon, Dean Stockwell, Kathy Burek Huntington, Louisa Castrodale, Kathy Kuletz, Andrew Kakoona, Ted Meyers, Sharon Nayokpuk, Gay Sheffield, Bob Gerlach, Richard L Thoman Jr, Joel Garlich-Miller, Mike Brubaker, Amy Holman, Racheal Lee, Barbara Mahoney, Kimberlee Beckmen, Chris Dankmeyer

Puffins Numbers High in Westman Islands
A total of 78% of puffin nests on the islands were occupied in a recent survey. Puffins have been hard hit in recent years due to a diminished food supply. It remains to be seen how successful the breeding season will be.
Vestmannaeyjar, South, Iceland
Iceland Review

Unusual bald eagles' (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flying behavior?
Two bald eagles observed flying together during breeding season, when eagles may remain closer to the nest.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) regurgitation full of plastic found in Unalaska
Regurgitation from a bald eagle contains plastic pieces.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States
Melissa Good, Anna-Katri Kulmala, Veronica Padula

Major die-off of Common Murres under way along the Mendocino Coast
Starting on Wednesday, May 22, hundreds of Common Murres, an ocean-going bird native to the Pacific Coast from the Channel Islands to the tip of the Aleutians in Alaska, have been reported washed u…
Mendocino, California, United States
Fort Bragg Advocate-News

Rare bird spotted in Finland for the first time
The Pallas's reed bunting has been sighted fewer than 10 times in Europe.
Kirkkonummi, Uusimaa, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Record number of shearwater birds taken into care after getting lost on journey north
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
ABC Radio

This rare duck from Asia is causing a stir among birders. How it got to Anchorage is a mystery.
It’s the first reported sighting of the falcated duck on mainland Alaska, Fish and Game says.
Knik, Alaska, United States

Disappearance of Tundra Ponds
Kettle ponds in Denali National Park contain less water this spring than in previous years, due to low snowfall and permafrost thaw. Shrubs are replacing grasses as the lakes dry.
McKinley Park, Alaska, United States
Scott Richardson, Katie Spellman, Richard L Thoman Jr

Strange Growth in Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens)
An unusual growth was found in a snow goose (*Anser caerulescens*) while it was being butchered. The growth may be related to a previous injury or illness that the bird healed from.
Stebbins, Alaska, United States
Jerry Hupp, Mike Brubaker, Kathy Burek Huntington, Harold Okitkun, Todd O'Hara

Dalmatian pelicans that took a wrong turn to freezing Siberia in winter released back to wild
Each stunning giant bird was ringed to help scientists trace their migration routes.
Aleysk, Altai Krai, Russia
Siberia Times

Early Spring Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) Arrival
Meadow Lakes, Alaska, United States

Early Trumpeter (Cygnus buccinator) Swans on Cheney Lake
I rarely see trumpeter swans on the lake, and I don't ever remember seeing them so early.

Record-high bird count at Yukon's Swan Haven over weekend
One wildlife expert says seeing more than 2,000 trumpeter swans at the sanctuary is unusual, but on Saturday there were nearly 3,000 counted.

Pace of Bering Sea changes startle scientists
Frigid north winds blow down from the Arctic Ocean, freeze saltwater and push sea ice south. The ice normally prevents waves from forming and locks onto beaches, walling off villages. But not this year.
Kotlik, Alaska, United States
PBS NewsHour

Early Robin (Turdus migratorius) Sighting in Fairbanks
This morning I heard and saw a robin in Fairbanks right near the fairgrounds. I have lived in Fairbanks for more than 30 years and have never seen a robin this early!
College, Alaska, United States

Puffin changes on Arctic island
The season’s first puffins arrived on Grímsey island—the only part of Iceland to cross the Arctic Circle—a few days ago and the birds are generally arriving in Iceland significantly earlier each year than they used to.
Grímsey, Northeast, Iceland

Record Temps in Goldstream
Warm temperatures are rapidly melting snow and creating ice, which creates difficult conditions for dog mushers. Migratory birds are arriving early, and a mosquito emerged months early. Small owls dead around the Goldstream Valley that looked unusually thin.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

First Puffins of the Year Arrive in Iceland
Svafar Gylfason spotted the year’s first puffin while fishing at sea near Grímsey island, North Iceland last weekend. He says the beloved bird’s appearance is a week earlier than it’s been in the past.
Grimsey, Northeast Iceland
Iceland Review

The Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus) are Courting
Spring has come about a month early. Is the mating season for our state bird, the Willow Ptarmigan, early as well?

Plover, Bearer of Spring, Has Arrived
A golden plover, traditionally believed to announce the arrival of spring in Iceland, was spotted in Stokkseyri on March 28, a little later than usual. They spends the winter as far south as North Africa, returning north to breed.
Stokkseyri, South Iceland

First Sighting of a Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) at My Feeder
Red-breasted Nuthatch (*Sitta canadensis*) are usually a common visitor to my bird feeder, however this is the first time one has been spotted at the feeder during the 2018-2019 winter.

Eagle preys on duck on Saanich Peninsula
‘I’ve never seen that before in my life’
North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria News

White-tailed eagles congregate in Vaasa as habitats shrink
The WWF and locals report sightings of 10-15 eagles at a time in western Finland.
Vaasa, Ostrobothnia, Finland

Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) Entering Breeding Grounds Early
Swans have arrived early in Southeast Alaska this year, with most lakes still frozen and no green grass anywhere. Most lakes are frozen; the swan is sticking to a small patch of water surrounded by ice.
Metlakatla, Alaska, United States

Weather and wildlife changes
Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana

Eagle Sighting
Eagle sighting during winter in Western Alaska.
Kongiganak, Alaska, United States

Large Number of Redpolls (Acanthis)
Fox, Alaska, United States

Invasion of redpolls sends seeds flying
After a record-low last winter, the birds are making a comeback. Redpolls, seen in two varieties in Alaska — the common and the hoary — have attracted scientists’ attention because the birds survive super-cold temperatures. Physiologist Laurence Irving ranked redpolls’ feathers just behind pine grosbeaks for “apparent usefulness for insulation.”Redpolls have a secret weapon other small birds, including chickadees, don’t possess: food pouches on each side of their necks.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Rare Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) Spotted in Western P.E.I.
A woman who put bird seed out in her yard in St. Chrysostome, in western P.E.I., was thrilled she ended up attracting a rare bird.
Saint Chrysostome, Prince Edward Island, Canada

Decline of mountain bird populations
Some species have experienced a much greater decline than average. For the snowflake in Scandinavia there is talk of approx. 35 percent, patchwork 25 percent.
Vadsø, Finnmark Fylke, Norway
NRK, Norwegian Broadcasting Company

Birders spy 70 species during Christmas Bird Count
The Homer Tribune - Offering news of the people, places and events of Homer and the lower Kenai Peninsula
Homer, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

White-winged Dove Sighted
After a day of birding on P.E.I., an Island woman returned home to find a rare white-winged dove at her backyard feeder.
Stratford, Prince Edward Island, Canada

Swans trapped in Mundy Pond ice in St. John’s
Two swans are stuck in the ice at Mundy Pond in St. John’s this morning.
City officials were made aware of the situation through calls to 311 and by a pedestrian walking around the pond who flagged down a passing city
Saint John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
The Telegram

Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) Sighting
Laysan Albatross (*Phoebastria immutabilis*) seen in the north during typical nesting season.
Sitka, Alaska, United States

Cattle egrets and an exceptional heron
It started when Jamie Brandon posted a picture of cattle egret in a field with cows at Great Barasway. When the dust cleared a whopping nine cattle egrets had been discovered making it the largest influx of cattle egrets in Newfoundland in living memory.
Angels Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
The Telegram

Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) North of Usual Range
Brown Booby (*Sula leucogaster*) sighted far north of its usual tropical habitat.
Sitka, Alaska, United States

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)
Gray Catbird found northwest of its normal range.
Sitka, Alaska, United States

'A really, really significant sighting': Vancouver Island birdwatchers aflutter over unusual arrival
It's believed the pine bunting has never been seen south of Alaska — until this week.
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Feed the birds, people urged
The latest group to feel the ongoing effect of Iceland’s poor summer weather this year is the country’s bird population. With few berries and seeds on trees and bushes in the southern half of the country, experts worry for the birds’ survival this winter.
Reykjavík, Reykjavík, Iceland

Warm weather prompts migratory birds to extend stay in Finland
Unusually mild weather and foggy mornings have caused many migratory birds to delay their departure south, according to Birdlife Finland.
Muhos, Pohjois-Pohjanmaa, Finland

Adult Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Snatches a Seagull
Bald eagle feeds on seagull
Larsen Bay, Alaska, United States

Red-footed Booby (Sula sula) off Haida Gwaii
An adult dark morph Red-footed Booby came into BC waters at 2pm on Sept 27-2018. He was first discovered on Sept 22-2018 by Kyle Brynjolfson, as it flew onto his commercial fishing vessel "La Porsche."
West of Haida Gwaii
BC Rare Bird Alert

Seabirds found with more than 250 pieces of plastic lodged in their stomachs
Scientists examining the devastating impact plastics are having on the world's oceans have identified seabirds with more than 250 man made objects lodged in their stomachs.
The Telegraph

Dead and dying birds rain down in unexplained occurrence in B.C. community
A British Columbia man who witnessed dozens of birds falling from the sky just south of Vancouver says he was horrified by the sight.
Tsawwassen, British Columbia, Canada
National Post

Rare birds stop off in Iceland
Two bird species that breed in the northernmost parts of the world are currently on a rare visit to Iceland as they make their way south for the winter.
Gardur, Southern Peninsula, Iceland

Mass die-off of clams fouls Revere Beach
The Division of Marine Fisheries is analyzing the clams and expects to have preliminary results in the coming days that might point to a cause.
Revere, Massachusetts, United States
The Boston Globe

Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassirostris) in Lund/Powell River
At 12pm on Sept 13-2018, while kayaking; Ken Wright found a 3rd cycle Black-tailed Gull near Lund. The bird was resting on Major Islet whic...
Powell River, British Columbia, Canada
BC Rare Bird Alert

Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) in Kelowna
At 4:30pm on Sept 9-2018, 15 year old Kalin Ocana found a female Orchard Oriole at Munson Pond. The bird was sitting in the grass at this l...
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
BC Rare Bird Alerts

Hundreds of Seals Are Dying on the New England Coast
Deaths of gray and harbor seals, in much greater numbers than usual, have been attributed to viruses related to distemper and the flu.
Isles of Shoals, United States
New York Times

Bald Eagle Pairs (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Abandoned Nests
Bald eagles (*Haliaeetus leucocephalus*) disappeared from usual nesting spot.
Larsen Bay, Alaska, United States

Rare sighting of lone Brown Pelican in Oak Bay waters
Bird is uncharacteristically alone and far from home
Oak Bay, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria News

Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) in Campbell River
Guy Monty and Mark Wynja photographed a Common Ringed Plover at Oyster Bay on Sept 5-2018. They were there to view a reported Buff-breasted...
Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada
BC Rare Bird Alert

Fewer Summer Insects
I started looking for insects months ago only to find them significantly absent from this area.
Marietta, Georgia, United States

New England Seals Test Positive for Avian Flu and Distemper
Preliminary results suggest that avian flu and/or phocine distemper virus may be contributing to the elevated seal strandings in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts since June 1, 2018.
Lewiston, Maine, United States
NOAA

White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) in Port Renfrew
A White-winged Dove was photographed at the Port Renfrew Marina at 11:57 am on August 22-2018 but was misidentified as a Band-tailed Pigeon...
Port Renfrew, British Columbia, Canada

Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) near Malcolm Island
Gord Curry and Ted Down found an adult Brown Booby sitting on a log in Queen Charlotte Strait, NW of Pultney Point Lighthouse on Malcolm Island, while they were fishing.
Queen Charlotte Strait

New Mexico plateau named for birds seeing them die off
A 10-year study on the Pajarito Plateau shows a 73 percent decrease in abundance and a 45 percent decrease in variety of species.
Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States
Santa Fe New Mexican

Alaska seabird die-off continues for another summer
Carcasses examined so far have shown no indication of disease, and tests are pending for harmful algal toxins. Seabirds have been found emaciated and starved, and changed ocean conditions may have affected prey.
Gambell, Alaska, United States

Typically-tropical great egret nests in Finland for first time
Sightings of great egrets have been reported for decades, but sightings this summer confirm the first time the species has nested in Finland.
Porvoo, Uusimaa, Finland

Florida Algae Blooms Send People to Hospital, Kill Marine Wildlife
Nearly 4,000 dead fish were counted on Sanibel area beaches and parks.
Saint Lucie River, Florida, United States
The Weather Channel

Dog owners issued warning as deer ticks move into Calgary backyards
Deer ticks have made the jump from the mountains to city backyards, putting your dog at risk of contracting Lyme disease in the summer heat.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Dead Sea Mammal and Sea Birds on the Beach
Residents of Chevak and Hooper Bay found two species of sea bird either dead or approachable near the mouth of the Kiuqliiviq and Aprun rivers near fish camps. Residents of Hooper Bay also found a dead sea mammal on the beach.
Hooper Bay, Alaska, United States

Almost every part of Canada’s largest national park is deteriorating
The report on Wood Buffalo National Park says industry, dams, climate change and natural cycles are sucking the lifeblood from the vast delta of northeastern Alberta's Peace and Athabasca rivers
Wood Buffalo National Park
National Post

Curve-billed Thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre) in Canal Flats
At 3pm on July 5-2018, Gord Littlejohns found and photographed a Curve-billed Thrasher in a dead tree along the shoreline near the boat lau...
Invermere, British Columbia, Canada

Soaring seabird numbers boost island wildlife reserve
Handa Island Wildlife Reserve

Public asked to report dead birds
In May and June, dead birds, mostly murres, have been washing up on beaches on St. Lawrence Island, Shishmaref and east Norton Sound.

Seabirds Washing Up Dead; Scientists Investigating
For the second year in a row, dead seabirds are washing up on beaches throughout the region by the hundreds. The birds appear to be starving, but scientists say the story is more complicated.
Gambell, Alaska, United States
KNOM Radio Mission

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Targeting Forage Fish in Open Water
Island View Beach, British Columbia, Canada

Sooty Shearwater (Ardenna grisea) Found Slightly North of Range
Sooty Shearwater (*Ardenna grisea*) found in the bay near Platinum, slightly north of usual species range.
Platinum, Alaska, United States
Harold Okitkun, Kathy Kuletz, Minnie Roberts

Brent Goose Nests in Iceland for First Time
A nest belonging to a brent (Brant) goose was found last week around Bessastaðanes peninsula, where the presidential residence is located.
Reykjavik, Capital Region, Iceland

'Set net' of Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Island View Beach, Saanich, British Columbia, Canada

Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinica): Newfoundland Rare Bird of 2018
The rarest bird sighted in 2018 was the purple gallinule on the Waterford River in St. John’s. There have been more than a dozen recorded sightings in the past, typically on a ship or in a random back garden only to be seen briefly and never again. This bird was different. It was present for about six weeks from mid-May and into June.
As 2018 comes to a close it is time to look back at the birding year in Newfoundland. According to my calculations 272 species of birds were observed on the island of Newfoundland in 2018. This grand total is on par with recent years.
Waterford River, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
The Telegram

European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) invaded our neighborhood and city
Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada

Eagles Deck Out Their Nest With Kelp
Gosling Rocks
Hakai Magazine

California Quail (Callipepla californica) Expanding Poleward

Abnormally Cold Spring
At Cold Bay, snow was reported on five days during the month, the most for any May since 2013.
Nelson Lagoon, Alaska, United States

Ross's Gull (Rhodostetia rosea) Spotted South of Normal Range
Ross's Gulls are normally seen in the high Arctic, this is the first reported sighting in Togiak. A similar sighting was reported to LEO Network from Hooper Bay.
Togiak, Alaska, United States

Ross's Gull (Rhodostetia rosea) Spotted at Togiak Beach
An unusual gull species (possibly Ross's gull) sighted within days of a confirmed Ross's gull sighting in Togiak.
Togiak, Alaska, United States

Unusual Species (Ross's Gull?) Sighted
Ross's gull (*Rhodostetia rosea*) spotted in Hooper Bay, south of normal species range.
Hooper Bay, Alaska, United States

Seabirds again washing ashore dead in Western Alaska
Birds have been reported dead or behaving strangely in communities throughout the Bering Strait region, from Shishmaref to Unalakleet and on St. Lawrence Island.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

Propose Banning Sale of Puffin Meat
Puffins are an endangered species, whose numbers have declined largely due to climate change and overfishing.
Reykjavík, Iceland

Hungry birds as climate change drives food 'mismatch'
Warmer springs create a 'mismatch' where hungry chicks hatch too late to feast on abundant caterpillars, new research shows.
United Kingdom
ScienceDaily

Dead Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Dead bald eagle washes up on Larsen Bay beach
Larsen Bay, Alaska, United States

Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea)
A rare sighting of an elusive wetland species.
Austin, Texas, United States

Easter Island Is Eroding
Rising ocean levels are causing waves to break on the statues and platforms built a thousand years ago. The island risks losing its cultural heritage. Again.
Easter Island, Chile
New York Times

Essential research: One dead seabird at a time
Citizen science programs integral to supporting coastal research
West Coast, United States
Chinook Observer

More than 50,000 starlings euthanized in the Okanagan last year
An Okanagan program was designed 15 years ago to control the invasive species of starlings
Okanagan, British Columbia, Canada
Port Alberni Valley News

Flock of European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) Sighted on ANTHC Campus
A flock of European Starlings sighted at a mid-town Anchorage building.
Moses Tcheripanoff, Tammy Davis, Verena Gill, Tim Thomas

Hummingbird sighted on SW-Side of Kachemak Bay
Very early for a hummingbird, especially in a non-urban area without feeders.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States
Moses Tcheripanoff, Courtney Amundson, Jan Yaeger

Most King Penguins Could Vanish by the End of the Century
As global temperatures rise, the lives of countless plants and animals are changing in response. That includes king penguins, which a new study predicts will see profound, climate-driven changes in their numbers and the location of their breeding grounds over the next century.
Possession Island, Crozet Archipelago
Earther

Arctic birds, seals and reindeer killed by marine plastics; pollution expected to rise
Researchers say the concentration of plastic waste in the European Arctic is now comparable or even higher than in more urban and populated areas.
Svalbard, Svalbard, Norway
Radio Australia

Robin Spotted In Chuathbaluk
Mid-January robin sighting in Chuathbaluk.
Chuathbaluk, Alaska, United States

Rare bird visit to Cranbrook sparks BC-wide interest
A female northern cardinal has made Cranbrook her home, and is drawing birders from all over BC
Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada
Cranbrook Daily Townsman

Female Sparrow (Emberizidae) Seen In Pedro Bay
Mid-January sparrow sighting in Pedro Bay
Pedro Bay, Alaska, United States

Robin (Turdus migratorius) Spotted
The early arrival of robins in southeast Alaska.
Haines, Alaska, United States

State report details potential health impacts of climate change
How will climate change affect health in Alaska? Dangerous travel conditions could cause more accidents, warmer temperatures could spread new diseases and the topsy-turvy weather could worsen mental health. Those are some conclusions from a new state report released Monday. Listen now
Newtok, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media
Rachel Waldholz, Alaska's Energy Desk - Anchorage

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) in January!!?
Peregrine falcon observed in interior Alaska in early January.
Nenana, Alaska, United States

Arctic snowy owls wintering in U.S. fitted with tiny tracking devices
For researchers, this winter's mass migration of snowy owls from their breeding grounds above the Arctic Circle to the Great Lakes region is serious business.
Duxbury Beach, Massachusetts, United States
CBC News

How Global Warming Fueled Five Extreme Weather Events
Scientists analyzed 27 extreme weather events from 2016 and found that global warming was a “significant driver” for most of them. We look at five cases.
The New York Times

Unidentified Jay
Unidentified Jay sighted in southcentral Alaska, early December.

Paper Mill Dam: Swimming Hole Monitoring
Paper Mill Dam, Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada

Toxic algae may have played part in sea bird die off
Walruses were found washed up on the beaches from Cape Espenberg to Shishmaref and further west. Samples taken from the intestines of four walrus all had moderate to high levels of saxitoxin.
Nome, Alaska, United States

Hundreds of dead geese in Canada's Arctic likely succumbed to harsh conditions
More than a thousand dead geese that washed up on the shore near Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, last August appear to have died of natural causes, including toxicity caused by drinking salt water.
Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada
CBC News

A Western Nunavut goose die-off was due to ‘natural causes,’ autopsies show
Natural causes led to the death of more than 1,000 geese on Long Point beach outside Cambridge Bay this past August, a pathologist’s report has found.
Western Nunavut, Canada
Arctic Now

Unusual Bird Sighting, Northern Shrike (Lanius excubitor)
We've seen these birds in the Fairbanks area before but neither my wife or I could recall seeing one at this time of year.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Where have all Newfoundland's Songbirds gone?
Climate change could be just another challenge for the gray-cheeked thrush and other distinct species.

Penguin disaster as just two chicks survive from colony of 40,000
‘Catastrophic breeding event’ leads to demands for a marine protected area to be set up in East Antarctica
Petril Island
the Guardian

Bird lovers flock to glimpse rare tropical bird in New Brunswick
A colourful bird native to the mountains of Central and South America has been spotted in Hopewell Hill, N.B., prompting bird lovers to flock to the area to try to catch a glimpse.
Hopewell Hill, New Brunswick, Canada
CTVNews

American coot sighting in eastern Arctic pretty unusual says bird expert
That’s after the bird apparently lost its way to its usual wintering-over grounds far away to the South.
Igloolik Island, Nunavut, Canada
Nunatsiaq Online

For third year in a row, Alaska seabirds wash up dead
For the third year in a row, seabirds are washing up dead along the coastline in Alaska. Hundreds of birds have been discovered along a stretch of the Bering Sea, on the Pribilof Islands and as far north as Deering. Julia Parrish said the thin bodies of the dead fulmars and shearwaters washing up on shore suggest the birds are struggling to find enough to eat. So far, about 800 have been discovered along the coast of the Bering Sea. Parish said early lab results don’t point to disease. It looks like the birds are starving to death.
Bering Sea, East Coast Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media
Elizabeth Jenkins, Alaska's Energy Desk - Juneau

Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) Confusion - Flying North then South
There were lines of cranes flying north and then this morning just before daylight, flying south
Golovin, Alaska, United States

Flock of Sandhills (Grus canadensis)
Sandhill cranes spotted flying east
Portage Creek, Alaska, United States

Cloudberries (Rubus chamaemorus) in Seldovia
Cloudberries observed in new area around Seldovia.
Jakolof Bay Headwaters, Alaska, United States

Day of reckoning for marine invaders
For centuries, marine species have moved around either by hitching ride on the hulls of ships or as stowaways in ballast water. In many instances, species have been deliberately introduced for aquaculture or other commercial purposes.
United Kingdom
Phys.org

'There had to be over 1,000': Dead geese wash up on Cambridge Bay shore
Hundreds of dead snow geese have washed up on the shores near Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, and it may be some time before officials figure out what caused them to die. David Bird, an emeritus professor of wildlife biology and ornithologist at McGill University, said that while it's impossible to do anything but speculate until tissue analysis is conducted on the dead geese, it's likely that the birds died of disease.
Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada
CBC News

Increase in Common Raven (Corvus corax) abundance
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Goose populations are shifting in Alaska
For decades, the crowds of small, dark sea geese on the tundra of southwestern Alaska's Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta have been thinning, a situation opposite that of geese on the North Slope.
Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska, United States
The Arctic Sounder

Seabirds found dead on Nome beach
On Sunday, Austin Ahmasuk went along the beach to his camp at the Sinuk River, about 28 miles from Nome, and shortly after hitting West Beach past the port, he found one dead seabird on the shore.
Sinuk River, Alaska, United States

Horned Puffin (Fratercula corniculata) - Smith Island, Puget Sound
Horned Puffin sighted near Smith Island in the Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca, WA.
Oak Harbor, Washington, United States

A tale of two goose populations: Y-K Delta’s shrink, Arctic coast’s expands
Black brant populations are struggling in the species' once-dominant Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta breeding areas, but conditions are better for brant breeding on the Arctic coastline.
Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

Mysterious bird deaths in Helsinki
Why are barnacle geese and seagulls dying by the dozens in Helsinki and not Turku? The birds have been dying in droves off the coast of Helsinki, and in the islands off coastal cities nearby as far out as Inkoo in the west and Porvoo in the east. The phenomenon was first reported on Thursday by Helsingin Sanomat.
Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland

These birds are trapped between predators and rising sea levels
Which is worse: getting eaten, or drowning? Read on.
Georgia salt marshes
Popular Science

B.C. wildfires’ impact on animals ‘to be horrific’: wildlife rehab facility
A major wildlife rehabilitation facility is bracing for the devastating impact of the B.C. wildfires on birds and mammals.
Smithers, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe), Taylor Highway
Bird observed well beyond its typical range.
Columbia Creek Bridge, Taylor Highway, Alaska, United States

Dead Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) at Spit Beach
Dead eagles are becoming more common around Sand Point, with one recently reported on Spit Beach

Hundreds Of Dead Seabirds, Sea Lions Wash Up In California
The likely culprit is a toxic algal bloom, fueled by warmer ocean temperatures.
Carpinteria, California, United States
HuffPost

38 million pieces of plastic waste found on uninhabited South Pacific island
Henderson Island
the Guardian

Polar bears shift from seals to bird eggs as Arctic ice melts
The habitat overlap of polar bears and their main prey, ringed seals, is disappearing and the bears are instead getting closer to nesting birds.
Svalbard, Norway
New Scientist

Murre colonies struggle to reproduce following die-off
While reproductive failure is common for some species like black-legged kittiwakes, it isn’t for murres. In some places less than one percent of the chicks survived.
Zoë Sobel, Alaska's Energy Desk - Unalaska

Rare Eagle observed on Swinomish Reservation
La Conner, Washington, United States

Tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) showed up late, then disappeared
Cemetry Beach, Haida Gwaii

Early Morning Call - Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus)
I've only heard this animal in the spring/summer.

Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) with Sores/Deformities?
Several bald eagles were observed with sores around their eyes and bills.
King's Cove, Alaska, United States

Climate Change drives early laying/hatching, but not only Temperature!
The Earth Times

Emperor Goose (Chen canagica) Spotted in Anchorage
Nearly all emperors winter in the Aleutian Islands, on the western and south side of the Alaska Peninsula, and on Kodiak Island. However, sightings have occurred as far south as California and even Hawaii.

Slow Fairbanks snowmelt slows Canada Geese migration
Sunshine is abundant this time of year, but cooler temperatures this week have slowed the melting of a well above normal snowpack in Fairbanks. That’s affecting migratory bird’s arrival at a local refuge.

Erosion and Habitat Disturbance at Mimico Creek
Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada

Rufous hummingbirds (Selasphorus rufus) late by 2 weeks, then gone
Masset, Haida Gwaii

Anchorage Area Rarity – Hawfinch
Location:  Two locations in the same Hillside neighborhood:  1st Location:  Metz Court, 2nd Location:  Park Hills Drive – Anchorage,
Anchorage Audubon Society

Dead Juvenile Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Sand Point, Alaska, United States

Unusual change in seasons, waters and wildlife
Pine Ridge, South Dakota, United States

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) Sighting
A pair of rare, presumably mating, Northern Cardinals (*Cardinalis cardinalis*) were spotted in Spruce Grove, Alberta CAD.
Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada

Adult Bald Eagle Sighting
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Pintail ducks (Anas acuta) early
Norther pintails observered early in the Mat-Su Valley near the Glenn Highway-Parks Highway overpass.
Gateway, Alaska, United States

Flowering cacti observed in La Quinta, California
Bear Creek Trail, La Quinta, California, United States

Yukon species list shows climate change in action
A big emphasis in the last few years has been updating and adding to the list of species known to occur in the Yukon.
This past year, a whopping 1,973 species of plants, insects and animals have been added.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

How Alaska's Jay birds spread their seeds
On a recent hike, I heard a volley of high-pitched screams coming from a thick stand of small spruces just beside the trail. They sounded very much like the cries of a red-tailed hawk, but that bird would be highly improbable in such a place and at this time of year (February). Surely it was a Steller’s jay, which is well-known to mimic redtails and some other birds as well.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
JuneauEmpire.com

Amazon Deforestation, Once Tamed, Comes Roaring Back
"A decade after the “Save the Rainforest” movement captured the world’s imagination, Cargill and other food giants are pushing deeper into the wilderness."
Coari, Amazonas, Brazil
HIROKO TABUCHI, CLAIRE RIGBY and JEREMY WHITE

Logging Crew Mobilizes Near Irreplaceable Wetland, Slated for Site C Flooding
Watson Slough, Peace River region
DeSmog Canada

Abundance of "Oyster Pickers" Black Oystercatchers (Haematopus bachmani)
"I learned from a community member that they haven't seen these type of birds here within town, they usually see them on the islands that surround our cove. With the warming temps. people have noticed more and more different types of birds showing up in our community."
King Cove, Alaska, United States

Ice of Change - Amid Waterfowl Sightings
No sea ice; hunters say it should not be like this today.
Diomede, Alaska, United States

Early American Robin (Turdus migratorius) Sighting
A robin was sighted in southcentral Alaska; an early arrival.
Port Graham, Alaska, United States

Wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) travel corridor along Flambeau River

What Type of Bird? King Eider (Somateria spectabilis)
Unknown bird sighted on the Alaskan Peninsula.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States

Unusual Crested Auklet (Aethia cristatella)
Are the difference species of bird ecosystems failing or in the process of change?
Nelson Lagoon, Alaska, United States
Kathy Kuletz, Angela Johnson, Julia Parrish

Dead Crested Auklet (Aethia cristatella)
Dead Crested auklet observed near the southwest end of the Alaska Peninsula.
King Cove, Alaska, United States
Kathy Kuletz, Dorothea Berntsen, Julia Parrish

Dead Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
We are unsure how the eagle died.
Sand Point, Alaska, United States

December Blossoms of Japanese Flowering Cherry (Prunus subhirtella)
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera)
Never seen anything like that in before.

Kachemak Bay has seen massive die-offs of sea stars and other species. What’s going on?
Kachemak Bay has witnessed massive die-offs of sea stars, murres and razor clams. Whats going on?
Seldovia Village, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

Dead Puffins
Over 100 dead puffins, mostly tufted, have been found in Saint George, Alaska.
Saint George, Alaska, United States

Unusual Mortality of Tufted and Horned Puffins (Fratercula cirrhata and Fratercula corniculata)
Several ill or dead tufted and horned puffins were found on the shores of St. Paul Island.
Saint Paul, Alaska, United States
Lisa Tran, Aaron Lestenkof, Pamela Lestenkof, Julia Parrish, Lauren Divine, Paul Melovidov, Barbara Bodenstein, Hillary Burgess, Karin Holser

A Flock of Parrots (Parakeets?) in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas, United States

Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) Mortality
Died on beach.
Seldovia Village, Alaska, United States

Septembers Are Changing in Lower Kalskag
Unusually rainy year for Lower Kalskag this year.
Lower Kalskag, Alaska, United States

Rare Sighting of Fork-tailed Storm Petrel (Oceanodroma furcata)
Never seen before in area.
Grayling, Alaska, United States
Moses Tcheripanoff, Kathy Kuletz, Bernice Nicholi

Subsistence Harvest Comes Early
Silver salmon, Brant geese and berries.
Nelson Lagoon, Alaska, United States

Ruffed Grouse
Never seen a grouse this size.

Anidación de bobo patas azules en Isla San Jerónimo, Baja California
Blue-footed booby nesting on San Jeronimo Island.
Isla San Jerónimo, B.C., Mexico
Yutzil Lora Cabrera, Margarita Delgadillo A., Alejandra Fabila-Blanco, María Félix-Lizárraga

Gran Grupo De Colibríes

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) on Great Bear Lake
Bird sighted far north of normal migratory range.
Deliné Waterdome, Northwest Territories, Canada
Suzanne Carriere, Brian Sieben, Edward Reeves

Giant Flock of Bohemian Waxwings (Bombycilla garrulus)
Earlier and more abundant then normal.

Aguila solitaria (Buteogallus solitarius) avistada fuera de su rango de distribución en Mazatlán, Sinaloa
Isla Pájaros

Shearwater (genus Ardenna) Die-off
Large shearwater die-off at a Pilot Point beach.
Pilot Point, Alaska, United States
Robb Kaler, Kathy Kuletz, Julia Parrish, Gregory Kingsley

Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) In Cottonwood Tree
Dove in Cottonwood Tree
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States
Jaclyn Christensen, Beth Paluso, Julia Parrish

Early Breakup Causing Lots of Change
Early breakup brings early arrivals.
Lower Kalskag, Alaska, United States

Global warming winners? North Slope brant thriving amid changes
Climate-induced habitat changes on Alaska's North Slope such as coastal erosion and permafrost thaw have produced more food for migrating brant, a study says.
North Slope, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

Ravens (Corvus corax) Are Scarce This Spring
Resident Ravens Disappeared in Early April
Dillingham, Alaska, United States

Mange grågås (greylag geese - Anser anser) på Spildra
Many Greylag Goose on Spildra, Norway
Spildra, Kvænangen, Norway

Unusual Bird (lxoreus naevius) on Lake Iliamna
Identified as a male Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius)
Kokhanok, Alaska, United States

West Coast Harmful Algal Bloom
Over the past few months, a massive toxic bloom of the marine diatom *Pseudo-nitzschia*, stretching from central California to the Alaska Peninsula, has resulted in significant impacts to coastal resources and marine life. NOAA has been working closely with federal, state, tribal, academic, and other partners to respond to this unprecedented harmful algal bloom (HAB).
Pacific Ocean, Northern to East Coasts
National Ocean Service (NOAA)

Unusual Bird (Lanius excubitor) Sighting
Identification pending.
Mountain Village, Alaska, United States

Band-tailed Pigeon - Lower Mainland BC
South Surrey, British Columbia, Canada

Early Spring / Early Waterfowl
Early spring and early waterfowl
St. Mary's, Alaska, United States

Dead Murres At Boat Harbor
Sand Point, Alaska, United States

Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) with Elongated Bill
A mysterious condition continues to inflict some Alaska birds

Dead Birds On Spit Beach
Residents concern over die-offs persist

Hummingbird Sightings on the Sunshine Coast
Powell River, British Columbia, Canada

Fish and Game look to round up invasive starlings
The Department of Fish and Game plans to trap a flock of birds not native to Alaska that is trying to move in. The agency says starlings could cause big problems for humans and other birds native to the area. They want to get rid of the flock before their numbers grow.
Homer, Alaska, United States

Dead Murres (Uria aalge)
Sea bird mortality observed on southeast end of Homer Spit

Common Murres (Uria aalge) Sighted On Iliamna
Common murre sightings; a concern for the predatory and scavenger bird numbers
Kokhanok, Alaska, United States

Woodpecker (Picoides pubescenc) In Coastal Southwest
A woodpecker never seen before.
Goodnews Bay, Alaska, United States

Dead Porpoise and Birds
A dead porpoise and eight seabirds found along shoreline
Haines, Alaska, United States

Dead Murres (Uria aalge)
More reports of dead Murres observed in the Bristol Bay region.
Port Graham, Alaska, United States

Common murre (Uria aalge) in Anchorage
Murres have had a tough year due likely to the Blob effect of warm water and (potentially) displacement of food resources. Many murres have been reported that are sick or starving.

Grounded Murres (Uria aalge)
Flocks of Common Murres were seen flying overhead, along with dying and grounded birds scampering around the Fish Lake area, just to the southeast foothills of Mount Yealo in the Susitna Valley.
Mount Yealo, Alaska, United States

Common Murre (Uria aalge) Stranding
Wayward Murre
Chistochina, Alaska, United States

Winter Storm Grounds Birds
Winter storm grounds birds along the shores of Iliamna Lake.
Iliamna, Alaska, United States

Good Year for Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus)
Good year for Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta)
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

Migratory Birds In December
Ducks were fly north along shoreline of Kivalina

Dead Murres (Uria aalge)
Murre die-off in Seldovia continuing.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States

Seabird Deaths
A large number of bird die-offs
Seldovia, Alaska, United States

Late Sea Ice Freeze Bring Together Seals and Caribou
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Blue Heron near Humpback Bay
Perryville, Alaska, United States

Presencia de águila calva (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) en Isla Santa Margarita e Isla Magdalena
Puerto Alcatraz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Yutzil Lora Cabrera, Margarita Delgadillo A., María Félix-Lizárraga, Norma Castillo

Seabird Deaths
Sea bird deaths

More Murre Deaths (Uria aalge)
Dead murres on beach
Nanwalek, Alaska, United States
Caroline Van Hemert, Barbara Bodenstein, Christopher Anahonak

Murre die-off reported around Kodiak
Kodiak Island residents have been reporting a large number of common murres washing up dead on local beaches.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States

Poor Bird Fledgling
Poor seabird chick fledging rates
St. George, Alaska, United States

Dead Seabirds
Dead seabirds found in Goodnews Bay.
Goodnews Bay, Alaska, United States
Alice Julius, Arlene Shimanek, Barbara Bodenstein

Dead Birds - Murres (Uria aalge)
Murre deaths reported along the shore of Nanwalek.
Nanwalek, Alaska, United States

Dead Birds (Cepphus columba) In Harbor
Dead birds in harbor

Dead Birds On McDonald's Spit
Dead birds on beach

Dead Birds - Seagulls and Magpies
Dead seagulls and magpies

Dead Birds - Seagulls, Puffins, Murres
Dead seagulls, puffins, murres
King Cove, Alaska, United States

Unusual Swallow Species
Unusual swallow species
Noorvik, Alaska, United States

Sighting of White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera)
White-winged crossbill
Diomede, Alaska, Unites States

Abandono de nidos de Pelícano cafe
Isla Coronado, Baja California, Mexico
Yutzil Lora Cabrera, Jesus Miguel Corrales Sauceda

Visiting Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis)
We have never had cranes stop in here before. Something has changed that these migratory birds are stopping here.

Urban Canada Geese (Branta canadensis)
5/2/15 Urban Canada goose - King Cove, Alaska, USA
King Cove, Alaska, USA

The Blob: Why warmer oceans are a big concern
Warm water threatens marine habitats off the coast of BC
Northeast Pacific Ocean
Sooke News Mirror

Dead Black-capped (Parus atricapillus) Chickadee
The bird was flying and just dropped dead.
St. Marys, Alaska, United States

Early Waterfowl
4/16/15 Early waterfowl - Anchorage, Alaska, USA

The warm ‘blob’ in Canada’s Pacific Ocean
Last year, 2014, was the hottest year ever recorded on Earth. Unlike other worldwide problems from which Canadians might feel relatively safe and isolated, but Canada is actually ground zero of global climate.
Gulf of Alaska / Northeast Pacific
Times Colonist

Early Song Birds
3/18/15 Early songbirds - Haines, Alaska, USA
Haines, Alaska, United States

Thousands of small seabirds wash up on West Coast in die-off mystery
Scientists are trying to determine why thousands of tiny seabirds called Cassin's auklets have washed up on the West Coast, all the way from B.C. to California.
Long Beach, Pacific Rim National Park

Pine grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator)
Pine grosbeak
Nome, Alaska, United States

Bethel Receives an Unusual Winter Visitor – A Robin
A rare winter robin has been spotted in Bethel and it has folks wondering what exactly it means. Locals and a biologist say they think it has to do with climate change.
Bethel, Alaska, United States

Sighted - Swainson's thrush (Catharus ustulatus)
9-04-15 Swainson's thrush - Wales, Alaska, USA
Wales, Alaska, United States
Beth Paluso, Brit Oxereok, Dean Stockwell

Arctic Loon?
The bird is not commonly seen in the Teller area.
Teller, Alaska, United States

Laysan albatross chicken die-off linked to Santa Ana winds
Laysan albatross chickens died from causes related to abnormal Santa Ana winds
Campamento Sur, Baja California, Mexico
Daniela Munguía, Julio Montoya, Yutzil Lora Cabrera

Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta caradensis) with Elongated Bill
An intense bundle of energy at your feeder, Red-breasted Nuthatches are tiny, active birds of north woods and western mountains.

Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) Sighting
Rare Layson Albatross (*Phoebastria immutabilis*) sighting.

Advisory - Avian cholera
Hundreds of birds washed up on the shores of St. Lawrence Island.
St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, USA

Dead Seabirds
11-6-13 Dead seabirds - Nanwalek, Alaska. USA
Nanwalek, Alaska, United States

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
On my way home for a lunch break, I noticed a different type of bird that I have ever seen before.

Bald Eagle with Facial Abnormality
6-6-13 Bald eagle with facial abnormality. King Salmon, Alaska, USA
King Salmon, Alaska, United States

Erosion Disrupts Swallows
6-3-13 Erosion disrupts swallows - Evansville, Alaska, USA
Evansville, Alaska, United States

Low Number of Birds
6-2-13 Low number of birds - Golovin, Alaska, USA
Golovin, Alaska, United States

First Horned Grebes Settle in Reykjavík Pond
Two horned grebes have settled in Reykjavík Pond in the city centre, RÚV reports. It is the first time the species is found nesting at the location. At the turn of the century, the horned grebe population was placed on a watchlist due to its decline, but it seems to have made a recovery since. […]
Hafnarfjordur, Capital Region, Iceland

Cold Arrival for Canada Geese
4-23-13 Cold arrival for Canada geese - Anchorage, Alaska, USA

Buggy ptarmigan
3-13-13 Buggy ptarmigan - Noatak, Alaska, USA
Noatak, Alaska, USA

Worms (Splendidofilaria pectoralis) in Grouse and Ptarmigan
Species of nematode *Splendidofilaria pectoralis* has been described in blue grouse (Dendragapus obscurus pallidus) in British Columbia, but never as far north and west as Unalakleet.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States
Victoria Kotongan, Caroline Van Hemert, Todd O'Hara

Bird experts aflutter over drop in rufous hummingbird numbers
The number of rufous hummingbirds visiting southern Vancouver Island over the summer is dropping and the cause may be climate change, says a local bird expert.
Central Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
Times Colonist

Uruguay trying to determine the death cause of 600 Magellan penguins
Authorities in Uruguay say they have found about 600 dead penguins washed up on the Atlantic coast since Saturday. Experts are trying to determine what has killed the sea birds.
Piriápolis, Maldonado, Uruguay
MercoPress

Bugs on Geese
Beetles seen moving around on geese
Wainwright, Alaska, United States
Jessie Moan, Linda Agnasagga, Heather Dingman

Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) off Southern Vancouver Island, Canada
Sooke, British Columbia, Canada

Brown Pelicans In BC Waters
Two Brown Pelicans were spotted off the Discovery Islands near Victoria on May 12. This species of pelican is familiar to anyone who has travelled to the beaches of Mexico, Caribbean or southern USA.
Discovery Island, Oak Bay, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Invasion of the Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
In the past four years or so, a new species of bird has arrived in British Columbia. The Eurasian collared dove is an attractive bird sporting pale grey plumage with a thin black ‘collar’ of feathers around its hind neck.
British Columbia, Canada

Dead penguins and oil covered found on Uruguayan beaches
Dozens of dead penguins and others alive but with traces of oil appeared over the weekend along the east of Uruguay according to a marine life conservation non government organization.
El Delta del Río de la Plata
MercoPress

Startling starling numbers appear in bird count
Local birders who participated in the recent 2005 Anchorage Christmas Bird Count noted a sharp increase in European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), a sometimes aggressive species that's relatively new to Alaska.

Canada's AG warns Nunavut about dangers of not having a climate change action plan
Nunavut is not prepared to deal with the impacts of climate change and doesn't have a plan to deal with them, according to the latest report by Canada's auditor general.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada

Are ills of the Arctic hitting California? Hundreds of migratory seabirds wash ashore
Over the last two years, more than 500 northern fulmars were found sick or dead along the Sonoma and Mendocino coasts. What is ailing these seabirds?
Bodega Bay, California, United States
Los Angeles Times

Fatal songbird illness reported in North Carolina. Don't touch dead birds, state says
The mysterious eye illness that has been killing songbirds in mid Atlantic states have moved into North Carolina, the NC Wildlife Resources Commission reports.
Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
Charlotte Observer

Eagle in Bay View dies, was showing symptoms of Bird Flu
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
YouTube

Black-crowned night herons spotted on St Kilda
Droughts in continental Europe are a possible cause for sightings of a Mediterranean bird in Britain and Ireland, say ornithologists.
St. Kilda, Scotland, UK
BBC News

Alberta confirms 5 cases of avian flu spreading to mammals
"We had an unusually large number of calls about skunks that were acting strange or being found dead and it was all within the area where we had confirmed that the avian influenza virus was present in the snow geese," Dr. Margo Pybus, a provincial wildlife disease specialist with Fish and Wildlife Alberta Environment and Parks, said. "We believe that the skunks are feeding on the dead geese and they are getting enough virus that it’s actually affecting the skunks."
Innisfail, Alberta, Canada
Global News

'Huge losses' of Scottish seabirds due to avian flu
Scottish seabirds, including guillemots, kittiwakes, and terns, have experienced significant losses due to avian flu, with 2,300 sick and dead birds reported in a two-week period, and it is expected to take years for populations to recover.
Forvie National Nature Reserve, Newburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
BBC News

Seabirds dying of malnutrition in the sea north of Iceland, changing ocean conditions to blame
Unusually high numbers of dead seabirds have been found washed ashore on the beaches of North Iceland in the past months. A biologist who spoke to the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service RÚV said malnutrition and lack of feed for the birds were the most likely explanations.
Skagaströnd, Northwest, Iceland
Icelandmag

Dead Antarctic Petrel at Svarthamaren
In 1984, there were more than 400,000 Antarctic petrel in the bird cliff. By 2020, the population was shrinking to less than 100,000. This year, there were none.
Svarthamaren

Hours of work to clean a single swan after Marco Polo oil spill
50 cubic metres of oil is estimated to have been released into the Baltic Sea, after a passenger ferry ran aground just off the coast of Blekinge in south-eastern ...
Karlskrona, Blekinge, Sweden

Black vultures are descending on Hershey. Residents want them gone.
Hundreds of black vultures have descended on Hershey. Residents want them gone. As they reach new habitats, the vultures’ destructive habits are creating problems in many Pennsylvania communities.
Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States

Bird flu continues to spread across the state
Bird Flu cases continue to rise in Alaska and are spreading across the state. Note: in Anchorage this has included two bald eagles and four Canada goose.

Cambodia tests more people for bird flu after death of 11-year-old girl
Cambodia has tested at least 12 people for the H5N1 strain of avian influenza, the health ministry said, after an 11-year-old girl died this week from the virus in the first known transmission to humans in the country in nearly a decade.
Phnom Penh, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Reuters

Avian flu virus found in wild duck in Fairbanks is a danger to domestic fowl
Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists collected the sample containing Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N2 virus, or HPAI, from a mallard during a routine bird-banding activity. The HPAI virus is not considered a threat to humans, Alaska officials said.

Anchorage’s white raven achieves celebrity status, inspiring art, lore and adulation
Biologists say the white raven is a genuinely uncommon creature. It’s not albino, but leucistic, evidenced by its sky-blue eyes. Given its rarity, it’s likely the same white raven that was first spotted on the Kenai Peninsula this summer.An “Anchorage White Raven Spottings” Facebook group has amassed close to 13,000 followers.

Great white egret attracts attention in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut
Egrets are more usually spotted in the Everglades or on the Pacific coast so the presence of this egret immediately attracted local photographers, including Bernice Sandy, who took many photos of the unusual bird.
Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, Canada

More than 20 ptarmigan allegedly wasted near Yellowknife
In the wake significant caribou wastage late last month along the Tibbitt to Contwoyto winter road, there is another instance of what appears to be wastage related to ptarmigan. Yellowknife resident Brad Olson shared a social media post earlier this month showing what appears to be almost two dozen birds killed and left to rot.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
NNSL Media

Over 1,300 Trumpeter Swans touch down in M'Clintock Bay, Yukon
The loudest sign of spring in southern Yukon is the return of the trumpeter swans. Thousands take a rest and refuel in M'Clintock Bay. As the CBC's Cheryl Kawaja reports, this year, they're about a week ahead of schedule.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Extremely rare visitor: Black Vulture spotted in Burgeo
A very unusual visitor has been spotted in Burgeo, and the Black Vulture is causing a stir among birdwatchers, who believe it may have been blown to Newfoundland by strong winds.
Burgeo, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Avian influenza case detected in wild goose in Halifax area
The Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources says it was a Canada goose. When found in Grand Désert, the wild goose had the H5N1 strain of influenza and was showing symptoms. She died 24 hours later.
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Radio-Canada.ca

Wildlife officials investigate mass die-off of snow geese in western Nunavut
It's not the first time snow geese have died in large numbers in western Nunavut. The cause of this event is under investigation, but overpopulation could have played a role, says the Canadian Wildlife Service.

Dead skunks in Larimer County test positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza
Thirteen of the state's 14 confirmed mammal deaths have occurred in the past month.
Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
Fort Collins Coloradoan

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