Thousands of Birds Fall From Sky in Australia, page 10

Time for a news bump

In the case of the Western Australia birds, the 4000 birds that started this thread, they are now saying three months on that it looks to be lead poisoning.

www.theaustralian.news.com.au...
LEAD poisoning is suspected of killing thousands of birds that fell from the sky over the West Australian coastal town of Esperance last year.

After three months of searching for answers to the unprecedented phenomenon, the state Department of Environment finally confirmed yesterday that lead poisoning was responsible for killing four birds it tested recently.

Four out four-thousand is not a great sample size but hopefully they are on the right track. I breathe a sigh of relief on this one as it was the Big One that, without a proven cause, could be an indicator of something heading our way.

Although, if I lived in that area and didn't know of any possible lead poisoning for months, I would not be a happy bunny. Although the Government says it's all clear for humans - take that how you will.

www.theaustralian.news.com.au...
Department of Environment spokesman David Mell said there was still no direct evidence of a lead source, although lead carbonate transported into Esperance for shipping through the port is the main suspect.

There was also 100 more dead birds in Esperance this past week

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Next up we have 50 birds dying in Texas this week. Berries are getting the brunt of the blame on this one.

www.kxan.com...
More than 50 birds were found in the courtyard at the Texas Department of Aging and Disability building.

Employees were notified immediately, and the area was blocked for about two hours while the Austin Fire Department's HazMat Team and Animal Control checked the courtyard to make sure there wasn't a public health threat and to remove the dead birds.

After investigating, Texas Parks and Wildlife officials said it's just Mother Nature at work.

www.statesman.com...
About 50 cedar waxwing birds died in North Austin apparently after getting drunk on the fermented berries of some yaupon trees, said Doug McBride, a spokesman for the Texas Department of State Health Services.

I do not recall reading this before but apparently the Texas Birds back in January were down to parasitic infection.

The deaths were not related to the parasitic infections that killed 63 grackles, pigeons and sparrows whose bodies were found on Congress Avenue in January, McBride said. Emergency workers shut down 10 blocks of Congress Avenue when the birds were found, and many people could not get to work.

I wouldn't mind them confirming it at least.

McBride did not immediately know Monday evening whether additional testing would be done on the birds.

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Finally, we go to Mumbai this week where a possible case of lung infection takes the lives of some birds.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com...
MUMBAI: The migratory birds which dropped dead from the skies in Santa Cruz on Sunday have been found to be suffering from an infection of the lung.

But doctors, who conducted the post-mortem tests on the Northern Shovellers, said it was too early to tell whether they were suffering from any serious viral ailment like avian influenza.

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On a sidenote, I have seen a few news stories lately of people killing and basically torturing birds. It is sickening and those responsible should be ashamed. What do they do it for?!

I didn't see any updates on further tests on the Esperance Birds but lead poisoning is the only cause being reported now. They have stopped lead traveling in and out of port...

www.news.com.au...
THE Port of Esperance on Western Australia's southern coast has suspended lead carbonate exports and imports following findings that lead poisoning could have been responsible for mass bird deaths in the region.

The West Australian Department of Environment and Conservation last week revealed that lead poisoning killed a small number of birds autopsied following the unprecedented deaths of more than 4000 birds in the area late last year.

They do seem to be quite sure of it being down to lead and now the story is all about potential health risks to the population from 18 months worth of possible bad lead containment.

www.news.com.au...
Macquarie University's Brian Gulson, a former CSIRO scientist who specialises in the effects of toxic metals in mining and urban communities, said there were three developments that concerned him.

"Firstly, lead carbonate is much more dangerous than other forms of lead. It is by far the most toxic," Professor Gulson said. "Secondly, it's very fine and therefore cannot be seen by the human eye, and thirdly, this (the movement of lead carbonate) has been going for 18 months through a populated area without anyone knowing the dangers."

And now they are shooting pigeons, who show absolutely no sign of struggling with lead poisoning, to try and find out where the lead is coming from

www.theaustralian.news.com.au...
PIGEONS, so far unaffected by lead levels that have killed thousands of other birds in Esperance, were last night being shot in an effort to pinpoint the source of the public health scare engulfing the West Australian port town.

www.theaustralian.news.com.au...
One common denominator that may help them identify the source of the problem - believed but not confirmed to be the port, which has shipped out more than 100,000 tonnes of lead carbonate in 18 months - is that the dead birds were all nectar feeders.

That would strengthen the most popular theory that prevailing afternoon sea breezes were blowing the dust back over the town and on to a variety of trees and plants visited by the birds.

I'm still not convinced on the lead being behind it but whatever is the reason, I hope no-one's health in the area starts to suffer.

38 links to news reports on this lead story.
news.google.com...

Water testing to be done as stated in this report:

Esperance water tested as more birds die

ESPERANCE residents remain deeply concerned over possible exposure to lead poisoning which has been cited as the likely cause of thousands of bird deaths in the area.
The mystery deaths of about 4,000 birds near the town, in Western Australia's south, between December 7 and January 2, had perplexed the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) until tests recently showed the birds probably died of lead poisoning.

Another 187 birds have died in the town during the past week.

The DEC yesterday ordered the Esperance Port Authority to stop all lead carbonate shipments.

The port had already voluntarily suspended lead carbonate shipments from Magellan Metals on Monday.

Businesswoman Jennifer McPherson said today she felt there'd been a cover-up at the port.

"We don't know what's going on at the port, it all seems like a bit of a cover-up," Ms McPherson said.

"There have probably been spillages and leakages for goodness knows how long ... people have no trust in the port."

The whole town has been poisoned by lead.

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