The Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Legislative Fund applaud the U.S. House of Representatives for voting to strengthen penalties for killing birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and also for passing legislation that creates a new stamp for the U.S. Postal Service to raise funds for international wildlife conservation. Both bills passed the House December 7 by voice vote.
"We applaud House lawmakers for passing these critical bills to stamp out extinction and crack down on illegal killing of wildlife," said Michael Markarian, chief operating officer for The HSUS. "We thank Rep. Peter DeFazio and Rep. Henry Brown for leading the efforts on these important measures, and House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall and Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife Subcommittee Chairwoman Madeleine Bordallo for helping to shepherd them through to passage."
H.R. 2062
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act Penalty and Enforcement Act of 2009 was introduced by Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., in April 2009. This legislation will crack down on people who intentionally kill peregrine falcons, Cooper's hawks, red-tailed hawks and other federally protected birds. The bill gives federal prosecutors the option of pursuing higher-level penalties for maliciously killing or wounding protected birds.
In recent years there have been horrifying examples of malicious cruelty to protected birds, such as "roller pigeon clubs" killing birds of prey through shooting, poisoning and even baiting raptors with pigeons rigged with fishing hooks, and cockfighters using baited, steel-jawed leghold traps to prevent raptors from preying on game fowl. Since the penalty for violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act was only a class B misdemeanor, this legislation finally provides a meaningful deterrent of prison time and hefty fines. A companion bill in the Senate has been introduced by Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.
"Today's unanimous and bipartisan approval of my legislation is a result of robust discussions with conservation groups, hunting associations, Fish and Wildlife Service, the States, and my Republican colleagues," said DeFazio. "This bill provides our law enforcement officials with a strong tool to prosecute the most egregious and senseless crimes of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act with stiff penalties. I am hopeful my bill will help put an end to the torturing and wanton killing of protected raptors and birds of prey."
H.R. 1454
Introduced by Rep. Henry Brown, R-S.C., and Rep. Madeleine Bordallo, D-Guam, the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Act creates a new stamp that the U.S. Postal Service will sell at a premium price to raise additional funds for international wildlife conservation. Congress has created a number of special funds to finance programs around the world that aid African and Asian elephants, great apes, marine turtles, rhinoceros, tigers and neotropical migratory birds. These critical projects receive some federal funding, but the conservation of imperiled species will be greatly enhanced by an infusion of more resources. The legislation is modeled on the highly successful efforts to raise funds to combat breast cancer. Since 1998, the USPS has sold 802 million breast cancer semipostal stamps to the public and has raised an impressive $59.5 million from such sales.
"This bill is a fiscally responsible measure that utilizes no taxpayer dollars and is designed to assist in the conservation of some of the most endangered, charismatic wildlife species on this planet," Rep. Brown said. "I thank the bipartisan group of 154 of my fellow colleagues who have cosponsored this bill and am pleased today on its passage by the U.S. House of Representatives."
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Showing posts with label migratory. Show all posts
Showing posts with label migratory. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Project to Trap, Track Godwits Means Long Day at the Beach
Cannons firing, people running, adrenaline pumping: no, it is not war; it’s banding birds – marbled godwits, to be precise.
The marbled godwit is a large migratory shorebird that nests in the grasslands of the Plains states and central Canada, as well as in Alaska and, in small numbers, eastern Canada. Godwits winter on the West, Gulf and East coast, including in Georgia. The birds will stay here until late April or early May, with a few juveniles remaining throughout the summer.
The marbled godwit is in decline, at least in part due to habitat loss, and listed by the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan as a high-priority species. Understanding the connections between winter habitats, nesting areas and migration stops for the various populations is vital to managing habitat for the species. The connections are also the focus of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service project encompassing North America.
On this chilly December morning, a group headed by Brad Winn, coastal nongame program manager for the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division, has spent most of the last several hours setting a trap to capture and satellite-track these cinnamon-colored birds with the upturned bills.
As part of the continent-wide project, small transmitters attached to the godwits will help biologists determine where the birds migrate and nest, what their movements are throughout winter, and other general location data. The marbled godwit is listed as a high-priority species in the State Wildlife Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy guiding Wildlife Resources and Georgia Department of Natural Resources efforts to conserve biological diversity.
The site is carefully chosen based on tide levels and bird sightings from the previous day. A trench is dug in the sand and the net laid. Two 4-by-6-inch blocks of wood with round metal pipes attached serve as cannons. They are filled with gunpowder and half buried in the sand after being attached to each side of the net with rebar. A wire attached to the fuses winds across the long stretch of beach to where the researchers are hiding … and waiting.
When it comes to catching birds, timing is everything.
After the trap is set, everyone sits back and waits. A variety of birds have begun to congregate in the target area, including American oystercatchers, long-billed curlews and, of course, marbled godwits. The hope is that as the tide comes in, the birds will move into the “net zone.”
Concentration and constant communication are crucial. Farther down the beach, Winn watches with a scope and radios. Chris Depkin, a wildlife biologist, is hiding in a different spot and holding the fuse.
“Not yet, just a little more,” says Winn, quietly urging the birds to move.
The window for capturing the birds is narrow. As the tide rises, they slowly move onto the sand bar and into the capture area. If the birds are not captured before the tide begins to recede, the chance will be lost, at least for today.
Sometimes they need a little help. Winn makes a call and two young men with a kayak soon come walking down the beach. Both have done this before and need little direction. Ben Morrison, a naturalist for Little St. Simons Island, pushes off and cautiously paddles towards the birds. The situation looks good, but anything can still go wrong.
If the birds become too wary, they will flush. If the kayak is too slow, the tide will come in and the birds will leave. Either outcome means everyone packs up and goes home for the day.
The kayak does its job. The birds scuttle almost imperceptibly to the right. Perfect.
What happens next seems like orchestrated chaos. Winn completes the countdown, the cannons are fired and then everyone is running toward the birds struggling in the net. Looks like a good catch.
Researchers work quickly to secure the trapped birds. Each is carefully removed and placed in plastic bins for carrying to the staging area where they will be measured, weighed, banded and examined. A few lucky birds will also receive the satellite transmitters.
When all have been sorted by species, the birds are secured under a large tarp, which shields them from the sun and helps them stay calm. Now the real work begins.
The team forms an assembly line of sorts to work faster. Winn and Depkin are in charge along with Scott Coleman, ecological manager from Little St. Simons Island. Starting with the godwits, they weigh each bird to determine if it is large enough to carry the 9.5-gram transmitter. They must weigh more than 300 grams to qualify. Two birds are selected.
The bird’s bills and a portion of their legs referred to as the tarsus are measured. Three feathers are plucked, two from the breast and one from the wing to be used for analysis. Tests that measure the ratio of stable isotopes can determine what the bird was feeding on when it grew the feather, giving researchers a more accurate picture of migration habits.
Wings are stretched to check for molting, which helps indicate the age of the bird, and then each leg receives both a metal band and a plastic band for identification. After a quick swab to test for avian influenza, volunteers photograph each bird and then finally it is released, its ordeal over.
The team works long into the evening, finishing as temperatures begin to drop into the 30s. The catch includes 11 marbled godwits and 44 American oystercatchers, a species listed as threatened in Georgia. Six of the oystercatchers and one godwit are re-captures, or birds previously banded. The re-captured oystercatchers include one from Virginia and one from North Carolina. The re-captured godwit had been banded in Georgia.
The Wildlife Resources Division has been banding marbled godwits and American oystercatchers since 2001. But researchers began the godwit transmitter project in Georgia last fall, thanks to a grant from The Environmental Resources Network, or TERN, the nonprofit advocacy group for Wildlife Resources’ Nongame Conservation Section.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
The marbled godwit is a large migratory shorebird that nests in the grasslands of the Plains states and central Canada, as well as in Alaska and, in small numbers, eastern Canada. Godwits winter on the West, Gulf and East coast, including in Georgia. The birds will stay here until late April or early May, with a few juveniles remaining throughout the summer.
The marbled godwit is in decline, at least in part due to habitat loss, and listed by the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan as a high-priority species. Understanding the connections between winter habitats, nesting areas and migration stops for the various populations is vital to managing habitat for the species. The connections are also the focus of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service project encompassing North America.
On this chilly December morning, a group headed by Brad Winn, coastal nongame program manager for the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division, has spent most of the last several hours setting a trap to capture and satellite-track these cinnamon-colored birds with the upturned bills.
As part of the continent-wide project, small transmitters attached to the godwits will help biologists determine where the birds migrate and nest, what their movements are throughout winter, and other general location data. The marbled godwit is listed as a high-priority species in the State Wildlife Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy guiding Wildlife Resources and Georgia Department of Natural Resources efforts to conserve biological diversity.
The site is carefully chosen based on tide levels and bird sightings from the previous day. A trench is dug in the sand and the net laid. Two 4-by-6-inch blocks of wood with round metal pipes attached serve as cannons. They are filled with gunpowder and half buried in the sand after being attached to each side of the net with rebar. A wire attached to the fuses winds across the long stretch of beach to where the researchers are hiding … and waiting.
When it comes to catching birds, timing is everything.
After the trap is set, everyone sits back and waits. A variety of birds have begun to congregate in the target area, including American oystercatchers, long-billed curlews and, of course, marbled godwits. The hope is that as the tide comes in, the birds will move into the “net zone.”
Concentration and constant communication are crucial. Farther down the beach, Winn watches with a scope and radios. Chris Depkin, a wildlife biologist, is hiding in a different spot and holding the fuse.
“Not yet, just a little more,” says Winn, quietly urging the birds to move.
The window for capturing the birds is narrow. As the tide rises, they slowly move onto the sand bar and into the capture area. If the birds are not captured before the tide begins to recede, the chance will be lost, at least for today.
Sometimes they need a little help. Winn makes a call and two young men with a kayak soon come walking down the beach. Both have done this before and need little direction. Ben Morrison, a naturalist for Little St. Simons Island, pushes off and cautiously paddles towards the birds. The situation looks good, but anything can still go wrong.
If the birds become too wary, they will flush. If the kayak is too slow, the tide will come in and the birds will leave. Either outcome means everyone packs up and goes home for the day.
The kayak does its job. The birds scuttle almost imperceptibly to the right. Perfect.
What happens next seems like orchestrated chaos. Winn completes the countdown, the cannons are fired and then everyone is running toward the birds struggling in the net. Looks like a good catch.
Researchers work quickly to secure the trapped birds. Each is carefully removed and placed in plastic bins for carrying to the staging area where they will be measured, weighed, banded and examined. A few lucky birds will also receive the satellite transmitters.
When all have been sorted by species, the birds are secured under a large tarp, which shields them from the sun and helps them stay calm. Now the real work begins.
The team forms an assembly line of sorts to work faster. Winn and Depkin are in charge along with Scott Coleman, ecological manager from Little St. Simons Island. Starting with the godwits, they weigh each bird to determine if it is large enough to carry the 9.5-gram transmitter. They must weigh more than 300 grams to qualify. Two birds are selected.
The bird’s bills and a portion of their legs referred to as the tarsus are measured. Three feathers are plucked, two from the breast and one from the wing to be used for analysis. Tests that measure the ratio of stable isotopes can determine what the bird was feeding on when it grew the feather, giving researchers a more accurate picture of migration habits.
Wings are stretched to check for molting, which helps indicate the age of the bird, and then each leg receives both a metal band and a plastic band for identification. After a quick swab to test for avian influenza, volunteers photograph each bird and then finally it is released, its ordeal over.
The team works long into the evening, finishing as temperatures begin to drop into the 30s. The catch includes 11 marbled godwits and 44 American oystercatchers, a species listed as threatened in Georgia. Six of the oystercatchers and one godwit are re-captures, or birds previously banded. The re-captured oystercatchers include one from Virginia and one from North Carolina. The re-captured godwit had been banded in Georgia.
The Wildlife Resources Division has been banding marbled godwits and American oystercatchers since 2001. But researchers began the godwit transmitter project in Georgia last fall, thanks to a grant from The Environmental Resources Network, or TERN, the nonprofit advocacy group for Wildlife Resources’ Nongame Conservation Section.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Southern Company Sponsoring Operation Migration USA; Unique Program Helps Conserve Whooping Cranes
PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In a new alliance that extends efforts to restore bird populations in the Southeast, Southern Company is sponsoring Operation Migration USA, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the conservation of migratory species, including the Whooping crane.
The three-year grant to Operation Migration USA was made through the Power of Flight, a partnership between Southern Company and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to protect birds through habitat and species restoration and environmental education.
The support will help Operation Migration USA to increase the number of Whooping cranes it raises and leads south by ultralight aircraft from the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin to the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge in Florida.
"Operation Migration, working in association with the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership, has been instrumental in saving the Whooping crane, which once was near extinction," said Chris Hobson, Southern Company senior vice president for research and environmental affairs. "We are pleased that this ongoing effort to ensure the Whooping crane's survival is now among the many outstanding bird conservation programs that are Power of Flight grantees."
Operation Migration hopes to increase the number of new Whooping cranes released annually to 24, with the goal of helping the flock reach a self-sustaining population level in four to five years.
"Operation Migration has a new route this year that will take our team of aviculturists and pilots leading Whooping cranes through Alabama and Georgia on our way to Florida. We are delighted to welcome Southern Company as a major sponsor. Southern Company's commitment of financial support will help ensure we can continue our important work with the endangered Whooping crane," said Joe Duff, Operation Migration USA co-founder and chief executive.
"We are extremely proud to be part of Operation Migration's critical work in restoring the Whooping crane population through our partnership with Southern Company," said Jeff Trandahl, executive director of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. "This is a resounding example of how strong support and leadership from Southern Company and focused conservation investments through the Power of Flight program are achieving meaningful and significant benefits in the southeastern United States for wildlife and the habitats on which they depend."
The cranes for this project are hatched at the U.S. Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland. They are taught to follow a specially designed ultralight aircraft before being shipped to Wisconsin at 50 days of age. Eventually, they follow a team of four ultralight aircraft on their first migration from Wisconsin to Florida.
Once the birds learn the migratory route they can return, on their own, the following spring. Each year a new generation is taught this route and released. Once this flock reaches 125 birds, including 25 breeding pairs, it can be considered self-sustaining.
This year, Operation Migration's ultralights will travel 1,285 miles through seven states, including three -- Alabama, Florida and Georgia -- that are served by Southern Company. The cranes are expected to begin their flight in mid October; their arrival date depends on the weather but the trip is expected to take at least 50 days. Progress reports on the flight are updated regularly and posted on Operation Migration USA's Web site at www.operationmigration.org/Field_Journal.html .
Since 2001, Operation Migration has played a leading role in the reintroduction of endangered Whooping cranes into eastern North America. During the 1940s only 15 birds survived in the world, although the species was not declared endangered until 1971. The primary reason for the birds' disappearance was the destruction of its natural habitat; however, thanks to conservation efforts, more than 500 whooping cranes survive today.
Operation Migration USA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the conservation of migratory species through innovative research, education and partnerships. Launched in 2001, the organization has played a leading role in the reintroduction of endangered Whooping cranes into eastern North America. Operation Migration is a founding partner of the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP), the coalition of non-profit organizations and government agencies behind the project to safeguard the endangered Whooping crane from extinction. For more information, visit www.operationmigration.org .
A nonprofit established by Congress in 1984, The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) sustains, restores and enhances the nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Through leadership conservation investments with public and private partners, NFWF is dedicated to achieving maximum conservation impact by developing and applying best practices and innovative methods for measurable outcomes. Since its establishment, NFWF has awarded over 10,000 grants to more than 3,500 organizations in the United States and abroad and leveraged - with its partners - more than $600 million into over $1.5 billion for conservation.
With nearly 4.4 million customers and more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO) is the premier energy company serving the Southeast, one of America's fastest-growing regions. A leading U.S. producer of electricity, Southern Company owns electric utilities in four states and a growing competitive generation company, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and retail electric prices that are significantly below the national average. Southern Company has been listed the top ranking U.S. electric service provider in customer satisfaction for nine consecutive years by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Visit our Web site at http://www.southerncompany.com/ .
The three-year grant to Operation Migration USA was made through the Power of Flight, a partnership between Southern Company and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to protect birds through habitat and species restoration and environmental education.
The support will help Operation Migration USA to increase the number of Whooping cranes it raises and leads south by ultralight aircraft from the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin to the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge in Florida.
"Operation Migration, working in association with the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership, has been instrumental in saving the Whooping crane, which once was near extinction," said Chris Hobson, Southern Company senior vice president for research and environmental affairs. "We are pleased that this ongoing effort to ensure the Whooping crane's survival is now among the many outstanding bird conservation programs that are Power of Flight grantees."
Operation Migration hopes to increase the number of new Whooping cranes released annually to 24, with the goal of helping the flock reach a self-sustaining population level in four to five years.
"Operation Migration has a new route this year that will take our team of aviculturists and pilots leading Whooping cranes through Alabama and Georgia on our way to Florida. We are delighted to welcome Southern Company as a major sponsor. Southern Company's commitment of financial support will help ensure we can continue our important work with the endangered Whooping crane," said Joe Duff, Operation Migration USA co-founder and chief executive.
"We are extremely proud to be part of Operation Migration's critical work in restoring the Whooping crane population through our partnership with Southern Company," said Jeff Trandahl, executive director of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. "This is a resounding example of how strong support and leadership from Southern Company and focused conservation investments through the Power of Flight program are achieving meaningful and significant benefits in the southeastern United States for wildlife and the habitats on which they depend."
The cranes for this project are hatched at the U.S. Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland. They are taught to follow a specially designed ultralight aircraft before being shipped to Wisconsin at 50 days of age. Eventually, they follow a team of four ultralight aircraft on their first migration from Wisconsin to Florida.
Once the birds learn the migratory route they can return, on their own, the following spring. Each year a new generation is taught this route and released. Once this flock reaches 125 birds, including 25 breeding pairs, it can be considered self-sustaining.
This year, Operation Migration's ultralights will travel 1,285 miles through seven states, including three -- Alabama, Florida and Georgia -- that are served by Southern Company. The cranes are expected to begin their flight in mid October; their arrival date depends on the weather but the trip is expected to take at least 50 days. Progress reports on the flight are updated regularly and posted on Operation Migration USA's Web site at www.operationmigration.org/Field_Journal.html .
Since 2001, Operation Migration has played a leading role in the reintroduction of endangered Whooping cranes into eastern North America. During the 1940s only 15 birds survived in the world, although the species was not declared endangered until 1971. The primary reason for the birds' disappearance was the destruction of its natural habitat; however, thanks to conservation efforts, more than 500 whooping cranes survive today.
Operation Migration USA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the conservation of migratory species through innovative research, education and partnerships. Launched in 2001, the organization has played a leading role in the reintroduction of endangered Whooping cranes into eastern North America. Operation Migration is a founding partner of the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP), the coalition of non-profit organizations and government agencies behind the project to safeguard the endangered Whooping crane from extinction. For more information, visit www.operationmigration.org .
A nonprofit established by Congress in 1984, The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) sustains, restores and enhances the nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Through leadership conservation investments with public and private partners, NFWF is dedicated to achieving maximum conservation impact by developing and applying best practices and innovative methods for measurable outcomes. Since its establishment, NFWF has awarded over 10,000 grants to more than 3,500 organizations in the United States and abroad and leveraged - with its partners - more than $600 million into over $1.5 billion for conservation.
With nearly 4.4 million customers and more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO) is the premier energy company serving the Southeast, one of America's fastest-growing regions. A leading U.S. producer of electricity, Southern Company owns electric utilities in four states and a growing competitive generation company, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and retail electric prices that are significantly below the national average. Southern Company has been listed the top ranking U.S. electric service provider in customer satisfaction for nine consecutive years by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Visit our Web site at http://www.southerncompany.com/ .
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
A Whale of a Time in the Channel on September 15
On a return crossing from Biscay through the Channel September 15, 2008, passengers and researchers were beside themselves with excitement when a Humpback Whale was spotted near the Channel Islands. Humpback Whales are amongst the most familiar to people and yet this sighting in such a busy shipping area is unprecedented, considering how rarely they are observed in the eastern Atlantic.
Humpback Whales are known to be highly migratory, traveling between breeding and feeding grounds annually. They are found throughout the world's oceans, but numbers were decimated by whaling. Whilst the whales seem to be making a recovery in certain areas, sightings remain few and far between around the UK and mainland Europe. Sporadic sightings are reported annually in the Irish Sea, the North Sea and the waters off western Scotland, but there has not been a report of a Humpback Whale in the Channel in recent history.
The whale was initially detected as it created splashes on the surface by members of the Spanish research organization AMBAR. This species is known to be quite acrobatic often engaging in breaching - where the animal leaps clear of the water or crashing its massive tail and large pectoral fins on the waters surface. This particular whale was engaging in such behaviour and was photographed. Biscay Dolphin Research Program (BDRP) on board Wildlife Officer John Arnott, was able to confirm the sighting as a Humpback Whale.
John Arnott commented: "The photographs clearly showed the distinctive dorsal hump characteristic of this species. Many passengers were delighted, having witnessed the blows and splashes from their vantage point on deck 11 of the ship."
BDRP Chairman Clive Martin said: "Our first thought was for the whale's safety and we have alerted the coastguard to its presence and exact location. Being such a busy shipping area, the whale is at risk of ship strike and it is important that vessels are aware and therefore able to take extra care in this area".
It is likely that the whale is undertaking its annual migration from Northerly feeding grounds to warmer equatorial waters and has entered the Channel en-route. It may have been following its fish prey or could have become confused and entered the Channel through the Western Approaches by accident.
BDRP will continue to monitor the Channel for further sightings of the whale, keeping the coast guard informed of its movements.
_____
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.artsacrossgeorgia.com
Arts Across Georgia
Humpback Whales are known to be highly migratory, traveling between breeding and feeding grounds annually. They are found throughout the world's oceans, but numbers were decimated by whaling. Whilst the whales seem to be making a recovery in certain areas, sightings remain few and far between around the UK and mainland Europe. Sporadic sightings are reported annually in the Irish Sea, the North Sea and the waters off western Scotland, but there has not been a report of a Humpback Whale in the Channel in recent history.
The whale was initially detected as it created splashes on the surface by members of the Spanish research organization AMBAR. This species is known to be quite acrobatic often engaging in breaching - where the animal leaps clear of the water or crashing its massive tail and large pectoral fins on the waters surface. This particular whale was engaging in such behaviour and was photographed. Biscay Dolphin Research Program (BDRP) on board Wildlife Officer John Arnott, was able to confirm the sighting as a Humpback Whale.
John Arnott commented: "The photographs clearly showed the distinctive dorsal hump characteristic of this species. Many passengers were delighted, having witnessed the blows and splashes from their vantage point on deck 11 of the ship."
BDRP Chairman Clive Martin said: "Our first thought was for the whale's safety and we have alerted the coastguard to its presence and exact location. Being such a busy shipping area, the whale is at risk of ship strike and it is important that vessels are aware and therefore able to take extra care in this area".
It is likely that the whale is undertaking its annual migration from Northerly feeding grounds to warmer equatorial waters and has entered the Channel en-route. It may have been following its fish prey or could have become confused and entered the Channel through the Western Approaches by accident.
BDRP will continue to monitor the Channel for further sightings of the whale, keeping the coast guard informed of its movements.
_____
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.artsacrossgeorgia.com
Arts Across Georgia
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)