Miami-area: 35-40 large birds "floating in Biscayne Bay"...oil related?

[Generic Other]

Run time: 02:41 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpPIgWTk1Ys   Posted on YouTube: November 10, 2010 By YouTube Member: OilFlorida Views on YouTube: 112   Posted on DU: November 10, 2010 By DU Member: Generic Other Views on DU: 792

 
Wildlife officials rescue Turkey Vultures, WSVN, November 10, 2010:

Wildlife officials have rescued some turkey vultures that were found floating in a South Florida Bay. A passing boater contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Center after spotting the lethargic vultures floating in Biscayne Bay . Rescuers took the birds to the Bird of Prey Center at the Miami Science Museum for treatment. "We're gonna give them fluids; warm them up. These birds are probably all hypothermic, so a lot of supportive care and none of them appear to have any fractures, said employee Meranda Dickey of the Miami Science Museum. "We're going to get weights on all of them, and we'll take it from there." FWC is still investigating to see if any crimes were committed, but scientists said the birds may simply have gotten lost and became dangerously disoriented.

Transcript Excerpts

Biologists mind-boggled by a depressing discovery in Biscayne Bay.

Birds flapping in the water...

Turkey Vultures, dozens of them.

Birds sporadically dispersed... about a mile slick of 'em

35-40 birds floating...

They were swimming towards the boat...

[EFerrari]

1. K&R

[Generic Other]

2. So what crimes were committed?

Are BP apologists going to accuse the birds of fraudulently trying to get payments for oil related claims?


:sarcasm:

[KansDem]

3. Disoriented?

Could the birds, not found over water, have become disoriented due to the toxins in the food they're eating or the water they're drinking that caused them to fly incoherently?

Something's awry and these were the ones that were able to be found. I shudder to think of how many more didn't make it...

[axollot]

4. They followed a big dead smell but maybe wind changed or couldnt

eat whatever may have attracted them. They get tired and end up in the water. We get them around here all the time but they want DEAD meat usually or whatever is easiest.

Cheers
sandy

[XemaSab]

5. How bizarre

:o

[go west young man]

6. There is no mention of oil at all in the WSVN report.

They say the birds were disoriented and do not normally fly over water.
Link here for more coverage. http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/21002711692834/

[Generic Other]

7. You're right...odd that the headline on the video says "oil covered"

And the article says "a slick of them" when describing the birds. Need more info it seems. I will change the headline for now.

[Generic Other]

8. This was the earlier report from WSVN. The reference to oil has been scrubbed

BISCAYNE BAY, Fla. (WSVN) -- Wildlife officials have rescued some turkey vultures that were found floating in a South Florida Bay.

A passing boater contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Center after spotting the lethargic vultures floating in Biscayne Bay covered in oil.

Rescuers took the birds to the Bird of Prey Center at the Miami Science Museum for treatment. "We're gonna give them fluids; warm them up. These birds are probably all hypothermic, so a lot of supportive care and none of them appear to have any fractures, said employee Meranda Dickey of the Miami Science Museum. "We're going to get weights on all of them, and we'll take it from there."

FWC is still investigating to see if any crimes were committed, but scientists said the birds may simply have gotten lost and became dangerously disoriented.

http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/21002709832446/

******

Why did the early report mention oil soaked birds and the one you linked to take that information out. Only two possibilities. 1) The boater was mistaken. No oil found. 2) Cover-up. Down the memory hole. I wonder which it is?

Update on turkey vultures found floating near Miami: Testing for toxins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr1knm_3xWk&feature=sub

[Crowman1979]

9. It's all part of BP's bribery....I mean recovery plan.

Nothing to see here!

[Generic Other]

11. That's what I was wondering

Suspicious minds think alike!

[rocktivity]

10. Are vultures native to the area?

I've never heard of them being around bodies of water.

:shrug:
rocktivity

[Generic Other]

12. Could they have been feeding on huge dead carcasses?

A dead bloated whale floating in the Gulf maybe? Some kind of disgusting rotting carcass that hasn't washed ashore yet? They are migratory birds, aren't they? Could they have become disoriented midflight? Landed on water to feed on toxic oil-soaked carcasses? Gotten sick somehow?

I will be interested in hearing what the toxicology reports say about this one.