Yesterday I cruised my panga down the bay of Concepcion to Santa Barbara Beach. I beached the boat and walked for awhile and noticed dozens of dead
birds on the beach. Some were gulls and some were fairly large birds with bright red breasts. Lots of dead puffer fish too. Kind of alarming to see.
There is also a red tide.
Does anybody know if the red tide kills birds? Is there any occurance of bird flu here?CaboRon - 1-28-2008 at 12:13 PM
It does if the birds eat the fish, I believe.
It's too bad your post is right next to mine looking for fresh chickens .... hope no one gets any bright ideas
CaboRonCypress - 1-28-2008 at 12:48 PM
Those birds, as well as the puffer fish, get caught in the nets. They have no
market value. They get tossed back.Russ - 1-28-2008 at 12:49 PM
We've had a lot more dead and dying birds than normal on our beaches. We have been blaming the shrimpers. I know some of the red tides are very toxic
and do kill birds that eat the fish in the area of the tide. But over here I haven't noticed the red tide. Also related to the shrimper by-catch are
all the fish that wash up. Be very careful our dogs don't get hold of the small, smooth puffers. They are deadly!Bob and Susan - 1-28-2008 at 01:24 PM
the ones we've seen are WITHOUT heads like they got caught in a netOsprey - 1-28-2008 at 02:11 PM
The dead birds on our beaches (I haven't seen em myself), from discriptions from my friends sound like small grebes. I think they are shrimper
victims cause three shrimpers have been in our bay for weeks -- lots of puffers too, no red tides seen at all.Russ - 1-28-2008 at 03:56 PM
Ok, someone out there must have the resources to find out what the law says about commercial fisheries in and out side the Bahia Concepcion are. The
office in Santa Rosalia doesn't seem to care. Maybe some place to report violators would be nice too. The shrimpers have been complaining for a month
how bad their catch has been. Think maybe they over fished it and now are going inside to ruin things in there too?
Don Alley - 1-28-2008 at 04:02 PM
Many dead grebes around Loreto, on the shore, in the water. I haven't seen shrimpers or red tide. Lots of live grebes, too.Pescador - 1-28-2008 at 04:02 PM
We have a lot of dead Grebes in the area and the ospreys have taken to hauling them up to their nests. We found a half a dozen on our golf course in
San Bruno which is pretty close to the beach, and I saw two ospreys hauling them towards the nests.
As far as the commercial netting of Conception bay, I do not believe that I have seen anything on any of the maps that establishes a Reserve or
Sanctuary status on Conception bay. I do know they have included all the islands and now have carved out a pretty big piece of area at Bay of Los
Angeles, as well as the Marine Park at Loreto, but I have never seen anything on my atlas or maps about Concepcion.
[Edited on 1-28-2008 by Pescador]
[Edited on 1-28-2008 by Pescador]Russ - 1-28-2008 at 04:44 PM
That's NOT what I wanted to hear Jim!backninedan - 1-28-2008 at 05:00 PM
During a fishing trip last week we counted approx. 50 dead grebes in less than a half mile. Not sure if the netters (not shrimpers) have been working
the area we were in or not.BajaHawk - 1-28-2008 at 07:40 PM
This IS disturbing. Probably not likely Bird Flu. Has anyone seen the birds before they expire? Many times birds will beach before they die.Lorito - 1-28-2008 at 11:43 PM
My first thought was that perhaps there had been a storm recently. But, the numbers and mix of species makes it sound like human-induced.
Where the birds with bright red chests the size of gulls? Were they frigate birds?
LoritoLorito - 1-29-2008 at 08:11 AM
Pompano,
Thanks for the info. Seems the algae blooms are a likely suspect.
I wonder if Baja has any central place to report dead birds.? I live in Washington State and the University of Washington collects data on bird
motalities on the coast.
Interestingly, the actual "red tide" that is visible to us is not always the algae bloom of concern. Domoic Acid, a natuarly occuring toxin produced
by algae is a big killer here - and you can't see it -kills bird too. From what I have read, spring the domoic acid levels are highest here in
Washington in the spring. Another concern is the paralytic shellfish poisoning - I am not sure how many of the species of dead birds seen are
shellfish eaters - same as domoic acid, you can't see it.
LoritoPescador - 1-29-2008 at 09:27 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by Russ
That's NOT what I wanted to hear Jim!
I wonder if a direct inquiry on the Conapesca web site could produce that information. I had heard for years that it was illegal to net inside of San
Lucas Cove, which I have watched go on for years, so I wonder what the actual laws are. I don't think I ever got much information from the local
Pesca office but I wonder where one might get accurate info about what the limitations really are.
Inquiring minds want to knowDENNIS - 1-29-2008 at 12:55 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by toneart
dozens of dead birds on the beach. Some were gulls
Tony....Did you get a good look at their faces? Is there any chance that one of the Gulls was from Rosarito Beach?toneart - 1-29-2008 at 02:12 PM
Enormous head, crossed eyes and an angry scowl?
Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
Quote:
Originally posted by toneart
dozens of dead birds on the beach. Some were gulls
Tony....Did you get a good look at their faces? Is there any chance that one of the Gulls was from Rosarito Beach?
toneart - 1-29-2008 at 02:17 PM
Thank you all for your replies.
Yes, the red breasted birds were gull size and the bright red breasts were puffed out. (someone asked).
It was alarming to see.
The shrimpers were not in the Bahia but they are sitting at the entrance.
I haven't heard of any people getting sick from eating shell fish. Ray's serves Oysters Rockefeller. No problema!Cypress - 1-29-2008 at 04:37 PM
Had oysters from San Lucas for supper last night, Thought I'd died and
gone to heaven, but it was only a red tide coma. Pescador - 1-29-2008 at 07:39 PM
Man, if the oysters at Ray's Place are red tide, that must be what adds that little spice. They are to die for. OOPS, They are delicious and they
taste wonderful, and I love them, and I eat way too many each and every time.
They have no
market value. They get tossed back.
Thought I'd died and
gone to heaven, but it was only a red tide coma.