BirdWatch Ireland has said it is “shocked” at the spread of a highly virulent strain of avian flu in seabird colonies in Britain, and says Ireland needs to develop a response plan urgently.

No cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have been positively identified in seabirds in the Republic of Ireland yet, but cases have been confirmed in several locations in Northern Ireland, it says.

The NGO is calling on the government to convene key stakeholders “urgently” with a view to developing and implementing a response plan to the growing threat of the spread in Ireland.

“We are witnessing the potential decimation of seabird populations on a scale that has not been seen before in our lifetimes. We are as a result gravely concerned for seabird colonies in Ireland,”Birdwatch Ireland says.

“We believe that it is only a matter of time before a wild bird is tested positive by Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine veterinary staff, but casual sightings indicate that the disease is probably present in our wild birds already,” it says.

“HPAI has the potential to spread rapidly in breeding seabird colonies, as seabirds gather in high numbers and in close proximity to lay eggs and rear chicks on Irish cliffs, headlands and islands,”it says.

Birdwatch Ireland stresses the international importance of Irish colonies, with Rockabill Island off the coast of Skerries in north County Dublin holding up to 80% of Europe’s breeding Roseate Terns.

The Kilcoole, County Wicklow Little Tern colony holds 40% of Ireland’s Little Tern population, it says, while Manx Shearwater occurs on just a handful of colonies.

Sites off the south-east such as Great Saltee island hold internationally important breeding seabird populations, including the gannet, which has been impacted particularly severely, it says.

It says that given that 23 of Ireland’s 24 breeding seabirds are already red or amber listed birds of conservation concern, with global threats to the puffin and kittiwake, the government here must act very quickly and take the HPAI threat seriously.

Birdwatch Ireland senior seabird conservation officer Dr Stephen Newton described the situation as “frightening”.

“There are three or four species where virtually the whole of the Irish, or sometimes the whole of the European, population nest at just one or two sites. Our big fear is that these could be wiped out completely,” Dr Newton says.

BirdWatch Ireland says that with the agreement of the National Parks and Wildlife Service it is ceasing research and monitoring activities at seabird colonies, where staff and volunteers would be in very close proximity to wild birds, except in exceptional circumstances.

“ This will help reduce disturbance and minimise the risk of spreading the disease,”it says.

“Our seabirds are the life and soul of the coastline in the summer. The Irish Government has a responsibility to protect them as much as possible from this deadly disease,”it says.

“HPAI originated in intensively manged poultry flocks and then infected wild birds. Putting in place measures which may help to minimise the spread in Ireland is essential to prevent further biodiversity loss, but also to protect poultry flocks which could be re-infected from the disease circulating in the wild bird population,”it says.

It advises anyone who sees a dead or distressed wild bird to report it to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Marine at https://aviancheck.apps.rhos.agriculture.gov.ie/report.

#MARINE WILDLIFE – The South Dublin Branch of BirdWatch Ireland is organising outdoor meetings over the summer which include watching terns and other species during July at Coliemore Harbour, Dalkey, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The first meeting is Tuesday 3rd July (6.30-8pm) and every other Tuesday during the month. None-members of Birdwatch Ireland are invited to the evenings which are run in conjunction with Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCoCo).

During the seabird viewing evenings, BirdWatch Ireland experts will be on hand to show the breeding terns and other birds whose habitat is not just confined to Dalkey Island. The island encompasses Lamb Island and the rocky outcrops of Clare and Maiden Rocks which straddle towards Dublin Bay while to the east of the island lies The Muglins with its lighthouse.

For further information including the Dalkey Tern Project visit: www.southdublinbirds.com/events/events.php and www.dlrevents.ie/

#MARINE WILDLIFE - Staff and students from the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology spotted an black-browed albatross in what was a "very rare" sighting of the bird in Ireland's skies, The Irish Times reports.

The group was on board the State marine research vessel Celtic Explorer off the southwest coast when they witnessed the albatross, also known as a Mollymawk, which is noted for its dark eye stripe.

The black-browed albatross is normally restricted to the Southern Hemisphere, but Birdwatch Ireland's Niall Hatch said it has been spotted from headlands in Ireland in the past.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the GMIT group were among a party of 20 scientists from Ireland, Nothern Ireland and Scotland carrying out a study of whales, dolphins, seabirds and plankton in the Atlantic.

#MARINE WILDLIFE - The Limerick branch of Birdwatch Ireland is seeking volunteers to assist in rescuing birds from oil spillages in the Shannon Estuary.

A report in the Limerick Post recounts a recent meeting at Shannon Rowing Club, where Birdwatch Ireand highlighted the impact on the environment and marine wildlife from both major and minor oil spills.

The meeting also discussed the role that local birdwatchers can play in determining crucial spillage incident response times.

A training exercise at Poulnasherry Bay is being organised for next month using equipment donated to the Irish Seal Sanctuary, preceeded by a similated planning exercise and "on-the-ground response".

The Irish Seal Sanctuary will also provide opportunities for training in the rehabilitation and cleaning of spillage-affected birds.

The Limerick Post has much more on this story HERE.

#MARINE WILDLIFE - The Evening Herald has highlighted the work of a new union of wildlife protection groups which is training volunteers to act the event of serious environmental threats to Ireland's sea bird population.

Wildlife rescue volunteer Pauline Beades from Garristown in north Co Dublin has been working with Ireland's animal groups to change the official approach to wildlife - particularly birds - that get caught in oil spills.

The Irish Seal Sanctuary, Birdwatch Ireland, the ISPCA, the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG), Coastwatch and Irish Wildlife Trust have written a joint "letter of comfort" for the Irish Coast Guard, which is the State body charged with dealing with coastal oil spills.

The groups have pledged to work together in the event of any oil spill that involves a threat to marine wildlife.

Their response plan involves an initial wave of volunteers walking beaches to gather affected animals and providing first aid, followed by transfering them to veterinarians in specialised field hospitals, as well as facilities for longer-term care.

Recently Beades helped train volunteers in Limerick, who also attended lectures and demonstrations from visiting wildlife rescue experts from Europe to prepare for any potential sea-borne wildlife emergency.