The Texas Gulf Coast is considered a world-class bird sanctuary with Port Arthur smack in the middle of a major migratory path for numerous feathered friends.
So when a major oil spill closed the Sabine-Neches Waterway on Jan. 23, cleanup crews raced to the scene and wildlife rehabilitation specialist made a temporary home in downtown Port Arthur.
Rhonda Murgatroyd with Wildlife Response Services LLC. said a total of eight oiled birds have been brought in, two of which are currently in-house — a juvenile brown pelican and a laughing gull.
“We haven’t had a call about oiled birds for two days,” Murgatroyd said.
On Thursday, an oil-free brown pelican was released after going through rehabilitation, she said.
A total of six found birds were found dead but the cause of death could not be determined at this time, she said. Since there was a period of bad weather before the spill, some of the birds were deceased prior to the spill. Murgatroyd could not elaborate on the number of birds that might have died before the spill.
Wildlife rehabilitators carefully go through a long process to clean each bird, taking into consideration that too much contact can cause the bird undue distress.
The washing procedure is quick with technicians huddled over a four-compartment table, each compartment containing a plastic container.
The first container holds the highest concentration of original Dawn dish liquid with each subsequent container holding a lesser amount of Dawn. After the cycle is completed the bird then goes through a high pressure rinse then brought back to a pet carrier with a heat lamp nearby.
The bird will naturally preen itself and its natural oils will return.
A portion of the Sabine-Neches Waterway remains closed two days after a Jan. 23 collision between the towing vessel Dixie Vengeance and the two barges it was pushing, and the 807-foot tank ship Eagle Otome. An estimated 462,000 gallons of crude spilled during the collision.
To report an oiled bird, call 1-888-709-9798. Do not attempt to touch or capture any oiled bird.
mmeaux@panews.com
