COASST in the News
Breaking News
Wreck Alert - Washington Coast
- "Algae bloom killing seabirds mystifies researchers", Seattle Times, 30 October 2009.
- "Killer foam: Was it a freak event or a warning?" The Oregonian, October 28, 2009
- "Foam from ocean algae killing thousands of birds", Oregon Live.com (The Oregonian), October 22, 2009
After a report of 40 live and dead birds on the beach in less than 1/4 mile near Long Beach, WA, and similar reports from as far north as Neah Bay, COASST volunteers in Washington are out on the beaches to document the second of two wrecks since late September.
Foam released by the same algae (Akashiwo sanguinea) that led to the death of 100s of scoters on the northern Washington coast has been sighted at several locations, now primarily affecting loons and murres.
Feathers, blood, and whole carcasses are being collected for further diagnostics - we'll update the status of this wreck as soon as we receive more information.
A Common Murre, with belly and feet covered in the de-waterproofing foam created by Akashiwo sanguinea.
News Archives
- “Keeping an Eye on the Coast”, The World (Coos Bay, OR), November 22, 2008
- “Seabird Signals”, National Wildlife Federation, August/September 2008
- “Struggling Seabirds”, San Francisco Chronicle, April 3 2007
- “For the Birds”, The News Guard (Lincoln City, OR), November 29 2006 (PDF)
- “Coast Walkers”, Homer News (Calender), September 28 2006 (PDF)
- “Bird Die-Off Puzzles Scientists”, News-Times (Newport, OR), March 24 2006 (PDF)
- “Dying By the Scores: Seabirds Washing Ashore on Oregon Beaches”, Seattle Times, March 21 2006
- “What’s Killing the Seabirds?” E: The Environmental Magazine
- “Scientists Fear Unusual Weather Behind Massive Seabird Die-off”, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, January 30 2006
- “Still Looking”, Pacific Northwest (Seattle Times magazine), September 4 2005
- “Oceanic Oddity Over; Concerns Linger”, Seattle Times, August 22 2005
- “Pacific Coast Life Concerns Scientists”, Associated Press (published: San Francisco Chronicle, SiliconValley.com, USA Today, ENN, SanLuisObispo.com, Yahoo!News, CNN), August 1-2 2005
- “Warmed Oceans May Be Killing West Coast Marine Life”, Seattle Times, July 13 2005
- “Weekend Event Not Always About Live Birds”, The Daily World, May 6 2005
- “Clue No. 1: It's Dead, Oregonian”, March 23, 2005
- “Telltale Signs”, Peninsula Daily News, June 8 2003 (PDF)
- “Murre-Maid of Tatoosh”, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, September 11 2001