How hard can it be to convey information about impacted wildlife on the hotline? I took this clip just a couple of weeks ago near Cat Island, not far from the mouth of the Mississippi River, as NWF Naturalist David Mizejewski attempted to report oiled birds:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Have you tried calling the BP wildlife distress hotline? If so, tell us about your experience in the comments below.

As we boated through Barataria Bay towards Cat Island, the sounds from the rookery were the first thing to catch our attention. As we got closer, you could see dozens of large brown pelicans, terns, egrets and roseate spoonbills, as well as many new hatchlings. The cacophony of the birds sounded as energetic as the hum of cheers that erupts along the sidelines of youth soccer matches on any spring weekend.

On the island we saw several oiled brown pelicans, two yellowed egrets and another two oil stained spoonbills.

We called the BP operated 1-800 rescue line only to be asked several times our address and the closest intersection. Really? Cat Island is at least 20 miles from the marina, there are no roads visible to the eye and certainly no nearby intersections. This is not the first time NWF has experienced this problem.

Next stop today, the bird rescue facility to understand how we can help improve the search, identification and rescue process.

Looking at Cat Island covered with birds, and only a fraction of its initial size due to subsidence in the absence of additional sediment inputs, looks like a life raft in the midst of open water. I wondered as I listened to the birds calling, if they were trying to tell us something.

Almost 75 years ago, Ding Darling with the support of President Roosevelt help found the National Wildlife Federation saying, “we have to talk for the ducks because they can’t.” I wondered what Ding Darling and President Roosevelt would think of this human caused disaster.

President Roosevelt once said:

“It is also vandalism to destroy or to permit the destruction of what is beautiful in nature, whether it be a cliff, a forest, or a species of mammal or bird. Here in the United States we turn our rivers and streams into sewers and dumping-grounds, we pollute the air, we destroy forests, and exterminate fishes, birds and mammals… But at last it looks as if our people were awakening.”

Almost 100 years later, I can only hope that our people will do more than awaken, we must act.

You can see more photos from the trip on Flickr and more NWF videos on YouTube.

Help ensure NWF has the funding needed to be on the front lines helping wildlife >>

For all the latest news on how the oil spill is impacting the Gulf Coast’s wildlife & to learn how you can help, visit NWF.org/OilSpill.

“How did it compare to what you expected to see?” I asked.

“Honestly, I expected to see booms protecting critical island nesting habitats and people maintaining those booms,” Doug told me. “But instead, I saw booms drifting around & breaking apart, oil ashore on the islands, and no responders or boats anywhere to be seen.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

Doug described seeing a brown pelican with its wings dirtied by heavy brown oil. The bird was preening in an attempt to clean itself off. More pelicans were diving for fish not far from patches of “dispersed” oil.

“That bird now faces double jeopardy,” Doug said. “Even if it cleans itself and avoids hypothermia, it could be poisoned by the oil it swallows in the process.”

According to Doug, Cat Island currently has two rings of booms — an outer ring of inflatable boom designed to keep oil out (assuming seas are calm) & an inner ring of white absorbent material designed to soak up oil. But there’s already oil on the island — it either arrived before the booms did or got through them. The oil has been washed about half a foot up above the water line, coating & suffocating plants. Booms just aren’t designed to stand up to even mildly choppy seas — even small waves can wash oil right over them.

Doug also expressed concern for the next generation of pelicans. “The eggs are in the incubation stage right now. If oil gets on a pelican & rubs off on their egg, it’s usually toxic.

“And even if the eggs hatch and the chicks escape direct contact with the oil, the future for the colony is very uncertain,” Doug continued. “With marine life threatened by the oil as well, will their parents be able to find enough food to raise these chicks?”

Doug is back on the water today. Stay tuned for more reports.

Help ensure NWF has the funding needed to be on the front lines helping wildlife >>
 

For all the latest news on how the oil spill is impacting the Gulf Coast’s wildlife & to learn how you can help, visit NWF.org/OilSpill.