Migratory Bird Treaty Act

Day 11 in our August fundraising Drive: So far we’ve raised $580 of our goal of $5000 by the end of the month. Your help is needed. Every donation helps. Thank you for being a part of this wildlife saving work!

Three years ago, August 2011, Bird Ally X began responding to fish-oil contaminated Brown Pelicans in Cresent City and Shelter Cove. Besides the 50 birds rescued, we noted that the infrastructure at both locations were the cause for the contamination. In November of that year we presented this information to the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District. It seemed that the situation would be rectified. A positive aspect of this event was our partnership with Humboldt Wildlife Care Center, which eventually led to the unification of the two organizations.

Unfortunately, in 2012, it became obvious that the problems hadn’t been fixed. We ended up mounting a large response, treating over 250 Brown Pelicans out of our very small facility in Bayside. Trying to get the discharge pipe that was spewing fish waste into the water of Shelter Cove stopped was very frustrating. While some modifications were made, the outflow continued. It wasn’t until Brown Pelicans left the area and headed north that the contaminations stopped. (read about our 2012 efforts)

The discharge pipe at Shelter Cove – July 2012 (photo Daniel Corona/Bird Ally X)

Dead contaminated Brown Pelican – July 2012 (photo: Drew Hyland/Bird Ally X)

Brown Pelican released at Shelter Cove, September 2011 (photo: Laura Corsiglia/BAX)

Now, two years later, we are happy to see that the Harbor District is taking its responsibility for the fish cleaning station at Shelter Cove seriously and moving forward to stop the discharge pipe. What follows is a news story from the Redwood Times that ran this Spring… We’re glad we were able play our part, with your support, in bringing these needed changes. Thank you for helping us meet our mission!

Harbor District meets with RID and the public in Shelter Cove

Sandy Feretto, Redwood Times

Posted: 03/18/2014 04:21:00 PM PDT

On Thursday, March 6 the Humboldt Bay Harbor Recreation and Conservation District met with the Shelter Cover Resort Improvement District and about 100 members of the public in Shelter Cove.

Jack Crider, chief executive officer of the Harbor District told the Redwood Times that the meeting addressed a variety of issues.

The Harbor District has a goal of eliminating the discharge pipe from the fish-cleaning table into the bay that has caused problems for the pelicans.

The first step is to eliminate the carcasses, Crider explained, and the next step would be to process the water from the fish-cleaning table and dispose of it in the resort district’s sewer system.

The solids separated from the water and carcasses can be frozen and sold as bait.

Crider said that over the last year the Department of Fish and Wildlife has finally acknowledged the district’s right to remove and sell the fish carcasses from the fish-cleaning table.

Since the harbor district first discussed the idea, Patrick O’Shea, of Shelter Cove, has entered into a lease agreement with David Mollett, the owner of Mario’s Marina that included the commercial boat-launching contract.

O’Shea intends to upgrade “the green building” that is in the middle of the parking lot at Mario’s. He plans to sell the frozen fish carcasses for bait and fresh, locally caught fish from the building. He has been in the process of obtaining permission from the Coastal Commission, Crider said.

Crider went on to say that the Harbor District’s easement covers the public access road down to the beach for recreation purposes, the breakwater, and technically the Harbor District owns the fish cleaning equipment. There have been some improvements made to the breakwater, but Crider said they are having some problems with sand that will require maintenance.

The Harbor District also has safety concerns with the public parking at the bottom of the beach access road. The district will post signs at the bottom to remind people not to park there.

He said that the Regional Water Quality Control Board has asked the district to test the beach sand and water in order to determine the impact of allowing cars to drive all over the beach. It will cost the district about $10,000 a year and take two or three years to yield results.

UPDATE: (12:30am 3 May) Bird Ally X has received word from Humboldt County’s 5th District Supervisor, Ryan Sundberg regarding this issue. Supervisor Sundberg reports that he has contacted the Pierson Company himself to make sure that it’s understood mowing and clearing must be done in accordance with the laws that protect songbirds and their nests. We extend our appreciation and thanks to Sup. Sundberg for acting quickly to guide community action.

The Mad River Union ran a story last week of a plan to “mulch” acreage behind the Safeway in McKinleyville. While the ordinary, quotidian destruction of space that’s been reclaimed by the wild can be distressing, most of us are accustomed to these changes and allow them to pass with little more than a nod, or a passing lament. Before we know it we are parking our cars in what had been a favorite little green space.

However, for this particular acreage, Bird Ally X was notified by a prominent area ornithologist of a pending catastrophe for nesting songbirds and other wildlife.

At stake is a mixed vegetation – alder, blackberry, coyote bush and more – green space of at least 11 acres. Many species of songbird currently use this space as their summer breeding destination. Many have flown thousands of miles to be here.

During a short visit, BAX staff observed Pacific Slope Flycatchers, Song Sparrows, Lesser Goldfinches, Anna’s Hummingbirds, other species of humminbirds, as well as Purple Finches. Two Red-shouldered Hawks were engaged in probable mating rituals.

In our line of work, we spend many hours performing community outreach encouraging co-existence with our wild neighbors. Each Spring, one of our primary tasks is to raise awareness of the harm tree trimming and other such activities can have on nesting birds, from displaced adults to nests destroyed along with the young lives they contain.

According to the media story, the effort to clear this woodlot is being undertaken to rid the area of encampments used by people without houses. Ryan Sundberg, 5th District Supervisor, has helped move this plan forward, offering the use of county dumpsters. Although any of us may have an opinion on what society should or shouldn’t do to assist the poverty-stricken among us, that issue aside, songbirds and their nests are fully protected by law.

We urge Supervisor Sundberg, and all of those involved, to consider what is at stake. Don’t mow down a small patch of green that may seem like only a vacant lot or a nuisance to you, but means everything to its wild inhabitants. At the very least, honor the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and wait until fall and the fulfillment of this year’s baby season. Don’t waste these innocent, young wild lives.

Tag: Migratory Bird Treaty Act

Improvements that will protect Pelicans coming to Shelter Cove

Attention Songbirds: Area to Be Mowed and Cleared