Avian flu hits waterfowl around La Conner, Fir Island

Larry McCormick has been seeing a lot of dead birds.

"You drive around Best, Calhoun, Bradshaw, you see them," said the La Conner resident, an avid hunter. "At one farmer's field with goose decoys out, I picked up 14 dead geese. A guy I know counted 81 dead ducks in a ditch on Best Road. It's bad."

In a Dec. 8 release, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed that it has retrieved more than 700 deceased birds of several species – primarily juvenile snow geese – from the Skagit Bay shoreline between Fir and Camano Islands. Samples from these birds are being tested for the H5N1 strain Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza bird flu.

By Monday, WDFW had collected 800 birds, said DFW wildlife biologist Robert Waddell, who is based at the La Conner office. Besides mallards, swans and geese, they include one great blue heron and scavengers like short-eared owls. An eagle collected recently tested negative for bird flu.

"There is lots of uncertainty about the impact to scavengers, where this might jump," said Waddell.

HPAI was recently confirmed in a raccoon and there are concerns about coyotes. Waddell says the agency has "been scrambling" to pick up as many birds as possible to lessen the chance for avian or mammalian scavengers to contract bird flu.

WDFW is monitoring hot spots on the Fir Island Farm Reserve, the dike and the public walkway.

"We can't even respond to all the reports coming in," he said. "We have heard from boaters and hunters who have seen numerous dead geese along the shoreline or beach. We are also responding to inland reports on farms, little ditches and other spots where there can be quite a few birds."

Sick and dead waterfowl have been reported in Whatcom and northwestern Snohomish counties and on Camano Island and Port Susan in Island County.

Ailing snow geese are often alone and disoriented, says McCormick. Usually swans move away when people approach. Sick birds don't.

"Three geese I saw across from Christianson's let me get within 10 feet of them. They tried to fly and couldn't."

According to the Centers for Disease Control, since early 2022, more than 49 million birds in 46 states have either died as a result of bird flu virus infection or have been culled (killed) due to exposure to infected birds.

The last time avian flu struck the United States, 50 million birds died in 21 states. But over twice as many states have been affected this time.

Locally, juvenile snow geese seem to be the hardest hit.

"Avian flu is a disease that all waterfowl live with," said Waddell, "but juvenile snow geese don't have the resistance that adults have. This highly pathogenic strain can do a lot of damage to adults as well.

"It's tough to see and not an ideal situation, but we have a robust snow goose population and as a Department we are not concerned about an overall negative impact."

WDFW says that bird flu spreads among birds through saliva, nasal secretions, feces and contaminated surfaces. It is not easily transmissible from birds to people.

While the agency recommends that people not handle sick or dead birds, "if you have a bird in your yard and don't want your pet or child getting exposed to it, then wear gloves and dispose of the bird in a black plastic garbage bag," said Waddell. "Discourage your dog from picking up a dead bird or running up and grabbing a sick bird."

WDFW says that for hunters, waterfowl and other birds that appear healthy or are actively flying likely present minimal risk but should be cooked thoroughly before consumption.

Goose hunting opened again Dec. 10 and will remain open until Jan. 29. McCormick plans to keep hunting – but he will only hunt for adults.

"I won't have anything to do with the juveniles," he said.