Avian or Bird Flu has resulted in the death of thousands of birds throughout the country.
So far our area has escaped the worst of it although tests carried out recently by Defra (Departmentfor Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) showed ten Herring Gulls found dead in the Lewes District Council area had died of the infection.
The advice to the public if they find a dead bird (other than road-kill) is not to touch it but to report to Defra on their helpline 03459 33 55 77.
Arrangements may then be made for the bird to be collected and tested, but not all birds reported will be collected. Now that it has been confirmed that Herring Gulls in the Lewes District Council area have been infected than it is extremely unlikely that any further tests will be undertaken.
The Defra database only contains details of birds which have been tested. It does not include details of dead birds reported but not collected. This is where I need your help.
If you find a dead gull, duck, bird of prey, owl please report it to Defra on the phone number shown above.
At the same time please contact me by e-mail davidhhowey@btinternet.com, giving the following data: the location where you found the dead bird, the date, the species and whether or not you have reported it to Defra.
In that way we will be able to keep a check on the situation in the Seaford area and I shall report the findings to the Society.
David H Howey
Seaford Natural History Society
Find out more about the Seaford Natural History Society here