Birds and Nature

"After Hurricane Ike, finding the coastline rearranged, again By Cornelia Dean Published: September 23, 2008 From the plane flying over the Gulf Islands National Seashore, scientists from the United States Geological Survey were scanning the ocean, trying to find Ship Island. Their maps and GPS system told them they were over its eastern end, but there was no sign of it. "I don't see Ship anywhere," said Asbury Sallenger, a oceanographer at the Geological Survey who was sitting in the co-pilot's seat and had the best view. "On the map we see it, but all I see is breakers. There is just zip left of this thing." Eventually, the scientists spotted the western part of Ship, but its eastern half had all but disappeared. A small patch of land and whitecaps breaking on underwater shoals were all that remained. The damage was considerable, but it was the kind of land loss they would see often on their flight, which they made about 48 hours after Hurricane Ike s...

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, The Wildlife Rehab and Education Center is preparing to wash oiled wildlife that has been observed on the Texas Coast. Executive Director of the WR&E Center Sharon Schmalz has contacted the Texas General Land Office (TGLO) Oil Spill Prevention & Response Division to utilize their 40 foot oiled wildlife cleaning trailer. So far, the WR&E Center has received four impacted Brown Pelicans from Galveston and two more are in route. Two of the pelicans are soaked with oil while the other two have an unknown substance on their feathers. Another 20 of this endangered species have been spotted in Galveston, Seabrook and Kemah. The WR&E Center has responders trained in ICS (incident command system) and HAZWOPER certified (ability to deal with hazardous substances) that are authorized by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department to care for oil impacted wildlife. If anyone in the general public comes across...

BILOXI, MS (WLOX) - You may remember a story we aired on WLOX News a few weeks ago about a wildlife organization saving a group of distressed pelicans. Sunday, many of those birds were released, but rescue workers have a favor to ask of South Mississippians. Hurricane Gustav washed up more than 30 distressed brown pelicans to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The birds were beaten and battered from the storm. Two weeks later, after being doctored by people like Alison Sharpe and other workers with the Wildlife Care and Rescue Center, some of the birds are ready to return to their natural habitat. "They are going to have to make several trips in and out of the water to preen themselves and condition their feathers," Sharpe said. This is Sharpe's second attempt to release the birds back into the wild. She said when she first tried last week, people were so excited to get close to the birds, that they began to take pictures and play with them. That only stressed the birds out agai...

"ANAHUAC, Texas — For hundreds of species of migratory birds heading south this fall and winter, Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge is the last place they can fill up on food and water before making the 600-mile trek across the Gulf of Mexico. They may not be able to do that this year, after Hurricane Ike decimated the refuge known by bird-watchers around the country for the array of migratory and coastal birds that pass through it. "It's like a truck stop," says Matt Whitbeck, the refuge's wildlife biologist. "Except this winter, the truck stop will be closed. That's what I'm afraid of." Read the full story here

" Download full size image Hurricane Ike Wreaks Havoc On Texas’ Coastal Ecosystem Posted on: Wednesday, 17 September 2008, 13:20 CDT Experts say Hurricane Ike caused massive damage to Texas' coastal ecosystem that could take a generation to heal. As scientists and land managers start to assess the storm's impacts on beaches, dunes and marshes, they are seeing signs of present damage and future worries to a coast already hammered by decades of pollution, population growth and habitat loss. Jim Sutherlin, superintendent of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's 24,250-acre J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area, near Port Arthur, said the impacts are going to be phenomenal "We're going to take the critters that crawl or walk, and for the full stretch of the coastal zone that got the full impact of the coastal flood, they're just eliminated." Unfortunately, the upper Gulf Coast of Texas was already under stress from many sources like coastal developme...

The United States Geological Service has posted some before Hurricane Ike and after photos of McFadden and Texas Point National Wildlife Refuges including this pic. " Oblique aerial photography near McFaddin Wildlife Refuge, TX on September 9, 2008 (top) and September 15, 2008, two days after landfall of Hurricane Ike (bottom). Yellow arrows mark features that appear in each image. Widespread inundation and persistent flooding are obvious here—and the extent of coastal change is difficult to assess."

Hurricane Ike became a real monster and wrecked havoc on wildlife and wildlife habitat as well as people and domestic animals. "An official with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Tuesday the tidal surge from Hurricane Ike has left a "sheen" of oil on a southeast Texas wildlife refuge, potentially endangering rare species of birds and other animals. Tim Cooper, project leader for the McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge, said oil apparently leaking from ruptured drilling equipment has affected a large area of the 55,000-acre preserve. Cooper, who manages four refuge sites in the area, said a lesser amount oil has flowed into the nearby Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge. Both preserves are near the Bolivar Peninsula, which was practically wiped clean when Ike roared ashore with winds of 110 mph early Saturday morning. Cooper said the oil could have a significant impact on the wetland habitat, famous for its multitude of migratory birds and waterfowl." Read the ful...