LEO Network

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The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
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Observations

Silent Winter - An Absence of Songbirds
Puzzling on what happened to the songbirds this winter. Could this be attributed to food shortages, invasives species...avian illness? The decline should be giving everyone pause.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Jason Herreman, Caroline Van Hemert, Mike Brubaker

Bird flu cases in Northern Ireland spur setting up of prevention zone
Northern Ireland has announced an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone after bird flu was detected in several wild birds, imposing strict biosecurity measures on bird-keepers.
Dungannon, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
The Irish Times

Youngest North Coast Condor Dies of Lead Poisoning
B7, the youngest member of the North Coast condor flock, has died from lead poisoning, marking the first fatality in a Yurok Tribe-led restoration program. The incident underscores the ongoing threat of lead contamination in the wild.
Bald Hills, California, United States
North Coast Journal

Unalaskans help document largest single-species wildlife die-off ever recorded
The murre die-off might have gone unexplained if it weren't for decades of observations from researchers and citizen scientists.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media
KUCB | By Sofia Stuart-Rasi Published January 7, 2025 at 11:32 AM AKST

Early birds: Photographer spots Brant geese down-Island ahead of usual PQB return
A photographer captured Brant geese appearing early on Vancouver Island, suggesting a shift in their wintering patterns.
Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
Lake Cowichan Gazette

Bethel Christmas bird counters spy rare bird, despite windy conditions
During the Christmas bird count in Bethel, despite high winds, volunteers spotted two bald eagles and a red-breasted nuthatch, marking the first sighting of the nuthatch in 21 years of the event.
Bethel, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Bird flu update: California declares emergency and U.S. sees 1st severe human case
A person in Louisiana has been hospitalized after being exposed to sick and dead birds. Meanwhile, California has declared an emergency over its growing outbreak in cattle.
Louisiana, United States
NPR

Huge Numbers of Redpolls
This winter large numbers of redpolls have been observed at bird feeders, from Fairbanks to Anchorage. ADFG reports that mass mortality events of redpolls have also been observed. ADFG advises homeowners not to handle dead or sick birds, and to prevent pets from coming in contact with them. Bird illness may be caused by a bacteria that could also affect people and pets.
Fox, Alaska, United States
Caroline Van Hemert, Gemini , Sarah Yoder, Kimberlee Beckmen, Richard L Thoman Jr, Louisa Castrodale

Minister Alarmed by Plastic Pollution on Eldey Island
The expedition revealed that gannets have easy access to plastic, as their nests are mostly made from plastic debris. Hundreds of dead gannets were also observed by the experts, with it being estimated that three factors played a role in their deaths: natural attrition, bird flu, and plastic pollution.
Eldey Island
Iceland Review

Mass deaths of elephant seals recorded as bird flu sweeps across the Antarctic
The virus was first reported among brown skua on Bird Island, off South Georgia. Since then, researchers and observers have reported mass deaths of elephant seals, as well as increased deaths of fur seals, kelp gulls and brown skua at several other sites. Researchers warn of one of ‘largest ecological disasters of modern times’ if the highly contagious disease reaches penguin colonies.
South Georgia, Sandwich Islands
the Guardian

250,000 birds euthanized in Petaluma due to bird flu
Avian influenza or “bird flu” is hitting Bay Area poultry farms hard, with a quarter of a million birds euthanized in Sonoma County this week alone. Mike Weber, the co-owner of Sunrise Farms in Petaluma, says around 82,000 of his egg-laying chickens had to be euthanized after birds started testing positive for avian flu.
Petaluma, California, United States

Avian flu reappears in Cambodia, UN health agency warns
Cambodian authorities reported two cases of avian flu, including an 11-year-old girl who died of the virus, the UN health agency said on Sunday.
Cambodia
UN News

Swallows sighted in February
"Swallows usually show up in the spring time or when winter months are over in Alaska."
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States

Cat euthanised after being infected with bird flu, a first in France
Cat tests positive for Brid Flu. The animal lived near a poultry farm in Mauléon, Deux-Sèvres in the west of the country.
Mauléon-Licharre, Aquitaine-Limousin-Poitou-Charentes, France

Swans Freeze to Ice During Cold Snap
Residents in Hafnarfjörður, a small town just outside the capital area, have rescued multiple swans that have frozen to the icy surface of Hamarkotslækur creek during a recent spate of desperately cold weather in the country, RÚV reports.
Hafnarfjörður, Capital Region, Iceland
Iceland Review

2 cases of avian influenza flu confirmed in N.W.T. ravens
The new cases bring the total count to three cases of Avian flu in the territory. The two ravens were found dead just a few days apart, on Oct. 26 and Oct. 28.
Dehcho, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

'This is real:' Historic bird flu believed to be killing record number of iconic species in Colorado
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than 53 million birds across the U.S. have died from highly pathogenic avian influenza. The CDC’s count of 4,000-plus infected is far from reliable. The disease contracting to people is believed to be extremely rare.
Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States
Colorado Springs Gazette

‘This is totally unusual’: Highly pathogenic bird flu still spreading in Alaska, state veterinarian says
More than 1,000 domestic poultry and hundreds of wild birds have died or needed to be euthanized in the state since early spring. Since the first case of a deadly strain of avian flu was detected in Alaska in May, more than 1,000 domestic poultry and hundreds of wild birds have died or needed to be euthanized.
Palmer, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Are ills of the Arctic hitting California? Hundreds of migratory seabirds wash ashore
Over the last two years, more than 500 northern fulmars were found sick or dead along the Sonoma and Mendocino coasts. What is ailing these seabirds?
Point Arena, California, United States
Los Angeles Times

Are ills of the Arctic hitting California? Hundreds of migratory seabirds wash ashore
Over the last two years, more than 500 northern fulmars were found sick or dead along the Sonoma and Mendocino coasts. What is ailing these seabirds?
Albion, California, United States
Los Angeles Times

Team of biologists makes daring rescue of loons trapped in iced-in waters
The openings were left after ice-in started during a cold snap, but didn’t quite finish in the deepest parts of the lake, about a quarter of a mile off shore. The two loons were stuck and unable to take off, because common loons require a water “runway” to push off and get airborne. Farther up the lake, three other loons were stuck in similar fashion.
Lovell, Maine, United States
Press Herald

Seabirds were not killed by flu
Close to 300 birds were found during a sweep of East Fjords beaches. No sign of bird flu was found in samples from dead seabirds. It is thought likely the birds died of hunger, as most were very thin. No widespread seabird deaths have been reported in any other region at this time.
Djupivogur, East, Iceland
RÚV

A lost eagle from Asia has been traveling around North America for more than a year
The Steller's sea eagle — native to China, Japan, the Koreas and eastern Russia — was spotted along the Taunton River in Massachusetts on Monday. It was first seen in Alaska in the summer of 2020.
Providence, Rhode Island, United States
NPR.org

Offshore SeaBirds Feel Effects of Warmer Ocean Waters
Coastal seabirds have experienced significant die-offs in Western Alaska the past few years. But recent results suggest that offshore birds are also feeling the impact of low ice and warming ocean temperatures in the Bering Sea.
Bering Sea
KNOM Radio Mission

Unusual Bird Sighting May Be a Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator)
Unidentified birds may be Pine Grosbeaks (*Pinicola enucleator*), whose species range extends to some parts of the Alaska Peninsula.
Sand Point, Alaska, United States

Amid coronavirus pandemic, Sweden battles avian flu outbreaks
Bird flu, or avian influenza, has struck the Swedish poultry industry hard this winter. Since November, thousands of turkeys and more than one million chickens have been culled. Malin Grant, an epidemiologist at the National Veterinary Institute, says the virus can be deadly for domestic poultry but the strains currently circulating don't easily infect or spread between people.
Kalmar and Skane Counties, Sweden
Radio Sweden

Red tide linked to royal tern deaths on causeway
On Feb. 16, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation reported that many residents and visitors have called SCCF, the city of Sanibel and Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife with concerns about royal terns over the past few weeks and the sight of their carcasses on the Sanibel Causeway bridges. Test results on deceased royal terns confirmed on Feb. 15 that they had high levels of brevetoxins, the neurotoxin associated with red tide.
Sanibel, Florida, United States
captivasanibel.com/

Possible Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) Sighting
This bird is a juvenile Great Blue Heron. It is rare sighting of heron outside of its normal range which extends into Southeast but not Southwest Alaska.
King Cove, Alaska, United States

Pine Siskin Salmonellosis Outbreak
An outbreak of salmonellosis among pine siskins in North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada may be linked to an increased population, migratory irruption, and the use of bird feeders during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.
North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada

Disease killing songbirds throughout the region
A recent outbreak of salmonellosis is leading to the deaths of wild birds throughout the northern United States. The current die-off affects finches such as pine siskins as well as other songbirds.
Spokane, Washington, United States
Spokesman.com

Government closes Djoudj Park after 750 pelicans die
The Djoudj park will not reopen its doors until the investigation into the death of 750 pelicans is completed. According to the Senegalese Ministry of the Environment, the bird flu trail has already been ruled out.
Djourj Park
Afrik 21

Snowy Owl Is Spotted in Central Park, for First Time in 130 Years
The hordes came running and the snow-white raptor became the latest celebrity bird of Manhattan. Some enthusiasts took Manhattan Bird Alert to task for revealing the bird’s exact whereabouts to 38,000 followers. By Thursday morning, the Central Park snowy was nowhere to be found.
Manhattan, New York, United States
New York Times

American Robin (Turdus migratorius) in January
"While teleworking, I looked out the window to see a red breast light in a tree in the front yard in Anchorage, Alaska in January. It was an American robin."
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) sighted in Sitka
"This is the earliest I have ever seen a hummingbird in this region."
Sitka, Alaska, United States

First record in Canada: Rare bird common in Japan seen in Yukon
A rare bird was spotted last week in Yukon. Birders flocked to Haines Junction last week to spot a hawfinch, which was thousands of kilometers out of its usual range.
Haines Junction, Yukon, Canada
CBC

Coeur d'Alene eagle numbers low, mirroring lake's kokanee population
Larger-than-normal kokanee in Lake Coeur d’Alene are sending migratory eagles wheeling on to better hunting grounds this winter.
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, United States
Spokesman.com

Vermilion flycatcher - A big red surprise
Late on the afternoon of Nov. 18, Kathy Marche, birding in Stephenville, came across a very colorful bird unfamiliar to her. She took photos but had to wait until she got home to look up the identification.
Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
The Telegram

Spring migration early this year
Flocks of whooper swans have been grazing in a field in southwestern Finland, although these swans don't typically return to Finland until March or April, according to Finland’s environment administration.
Finland
Yle Uutiset

Stranded Fork-tailed Storm Petrel (Oceanodroma furcata)
Bella Bella 1, British Columbia, Canada
Twitter

Winter Robin (Turdus migratorius)
Robins are migratory birds, but may stay in one place if the temperature is warm and/or there is food available.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Massive anchovy school in White Rock draws a crowd
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said photographer Marissa Baecker, who was visiting White Rock from Kelowna on Christmas Day. “It wasn’t just a feeding, it was a feast.”
White Rock, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Anchovies take over White Rock shores
People in White Rock, B.C. are used to seeing fish in their waters but not quite like this.
White Rock, British Columbia, Canada
Facebook Watch

Seabird Aggregation Over Abundant Northern Anchovy (Engraulis mordax)
Professor John Reynolds shared the following video of his observation of a large aggregation of gulls and other coastal seabirds over a large aggregation of Northern Anchovy at White Rock, BC.
White Rock, British Columbia, Canada
Twitter

Eagle preys on duck on Saanich Peninsula
‘I’ve never seen that before in my life’
North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria News

White-tailed eagles congregate in Vaasa as habitats shrink
The WWF and locals report sightings of 10-15 eagles at a time in western Finland.
Vaasa, Ostrobothnia, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) Entering Breeding Grounds Early
Swans have arrived early in Southeast Alaska this year, with most lakes still frozen and no green grass anywhere. Most lakes are frozen; the swan is sticking to a small patch of water surrounded by ice.
Metlakatla, Alaska, United States

Weather and wildlife changes
Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana

Eagle Sighting
Eagle sighting during winter in Western Alaska.
Kongiganak, Alaska, United States

Large Number of Redpolls (Acanthis)
Fox, Alaska, United States

Rare Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) Spotted in Western P.E.I.
A woman who put bird seed out in her yard in St. Chrysostome, in western P.E.I., was thrilled she ended up attracting a rare bird.
Saint Chrysostome, Prince Edward Island, Canada
CBC

Decline of mountain bird populations
Some species have experienced a much greater decline than average. For the snowflake in Scandinavia there is talk of approx. 35 percent, patchwork 25 percent.
Vadsø, Finnmark Fylke, Norway
NRK, Norwegian Broadcasting Company

Birders spy 70 species during Christmas Bird Count
The Homer Tribune - Offering news of the people, places and events of Homer and the lower Kenai Peninsula
Homer, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Most King Penguins Could Vanish by the End of the Century
As global temperatures rise, the lives of countless plants and animals are changing in response. That includes king penguins, which a new study predicts will see profound, climate-driven changes in their numbers and the location of their breeding grounds over the next century.
Possession Island, Crozet Archipelago
Earther

Arctic birds, seals and reindeer killed by marine plastics; pollution expected to rise
Researchers say the concentration of plastic waste in the European Arctic is now comparable or even higher than in more urban and populated areas.
Svalbard, Svalbard, Norway
Radio Australia

Robin Spotted In Chuathbaluk
Mid-January robin sighting in Chuathbaluk.
Chuathbaluk, Alaska, United States

Rare bird visit to Cranbrook sparks BC-wide interest
A female northern cardinal has made Cranbrook her home, and is drawing birders from all over BC
Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada
Cranbrook Daily Townsman

Female Sparrow (Emberizidae) Seen In Pedro Bay
Mid-January sparrow sighting in Pedro Bay
Pedro Bay, Alaska, United States

Robin (Turdus migratorius) Spotted
The early arrival of robins in southeast Alaska.
Haines, Alaska, United States

State report details potential health impacts of climate change
How will climate change affect health in Alaska? Dangerous travel conditions could cause more accidents, warmer temperatures could spread new diseases and the topsy-turvy weather could worsen mental health. Those are some conclusions from a new state report released Monday. Listen now
Newtok, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media
Rachel Waldholz, Alaska's Energy Desk - Anchorage

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) in January!!?
Peregrine falcon observed in interior Alaska in early January.
Nenana, Alaska, United States

Arctic snowy owls wintering in U.S. fitted with tiny tracking devices
For researchers, this winter's mass migration of snowy owls from their breeding grounds above the Arctic Circle to the Great Lakes region is serious business.
Duxbury Beach, Massachusetts, United States
CBC News

How Global Warming Fueled Five Extreme Weather Events
Scientists analyzed 27 extreme weather events from 2016 and found that global warming was a “significant driver” for most of them. We look at five cases.
The New York Times

Unidentified Jay
Unidentified Jay sighted in southcentral Alaska, early December.

How Alaska's Jay birds spread their seeds
On a recent hike, I heard a volley of high-pitched screams coming from a thick stand of small spruces just beside the trail. They sounded very much like the cries of a red-tailed hawk, but that bird would be highly improbable in such a place and at this time of year (February). Surely it was a Steller’s jay, which is well-known to mimic redtails and some other birds as well.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
JuneauEmpire.com

Amazon Deforestation, Once Tamed, Comes Roaring Back
"A decade after the “Save the Rainforest” movement captured the world’s imagination, Cargill and other food giants are pushing deeper into the wilderness."
Coari, Amazonas, Brazil
HIROKO TABUCHI, CLAIRE RIGBY and JEREMY WHITE

Logging Crew Mobilizes Near Irreplaceable Wetland, Slated for Site C Flooding
Watson Slough, Peace River region
DeSmog Canada

Abundance of "Oyster Pickers" Black Oystercatchers (Haematopus bachmani)
"I learned from a community member that they haven't seen these type of birds here within town, they usually see them on the islands that surround our cove. With the warming temps. people have noticed more and more different types of birds showing up in our community."
King Cove, Alaska, United States

Ice of Change - Amid Waterfowl Sightings
No sea ice; hunters say it should not be like this today.
Diomede, Alaska, United States

Early American Robin (Turdus migratorius) Sighting
A robin was sighted in southcentral Alaska; an early arrival.
Port Graham, Alaska, United States

Wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) travel corridor along Flambeau River

What Type of Bird? King Eider (Somateria spectabilis)
Unknown bird sighted on the Alaskan Peninsula.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States

Unusual Crested Auklet (Aethia cristatella)
Are the difference species of bird ecosystems failing or in the process of change?
Nelson Lagoon, Alaska, United States
Kathy Kuletz, Angela Johnson, Julia Parrish

Dead Crested Auklet (Aethia cristatella)
Dead Crested auklet observed near the southwest end of the Alaska Peninsula.
King Cove, Alaska, United States
Kathy Kuletz, Dorothea Berntsen, Julia Parrish

Dead Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
We are unsure how the eagle died.
Sand Point, Alaska, United States

December Blossoms of Japanese Flowering Cherry (Prunus subhirtella)
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Dead Murres (Uria aalge)
Sea bird mortality observed on southeast end of Homer Spit
Homer, Alaska, United States

Common Murres (Uria aalge) Sighted On Iliamna
Common murre sightings; a concern for the predatory and scavenger bird numbers
Kokhanok, Alaska, United States

Woodpecker (Picoides pubescenc) In Coastal Southwest
A woodpecker never seen before.
Goodnews Bay, Alaska, United States

Dead Porpoise and Birds
A dead porpoise and eight seabirds found along shoreline
Haines, Alaska, United States

Dead Murres (Uria aalge)
More reports of dead Murres observed in the Bristol Bay region.
Port Graham, Alaska, United States

Common murre (Uria aalge) in Anchorage
Murres have had a tough year due likely to the Blob effect of warm water and (potentially) displacement of food resources. Many murres have been reported that are sick or starving.

Grounded Murres (Uria aalge)
Flocks of Common Murres were seen flying overhead, along with dying and grounded birds scampering around the Fish Lake area, just to the southeast foothills of Mount Yealo in the Susitna Valley.
Mount Yealo, Alaska, United States

Common Murre (Uria aalge) Stranding
Wayward Murre
Chistochina, Alaska, United States

Winter Storm Grounds Birds
Winter storm grounds birds along the shores of Iliamna Lake.
Iliamna, Alaska, United States

Good Year for Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus)
Good year for Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta)
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

Migratory Birds In December
Ducks were fly north along shoreline of Kivalina
Kivalina, Alaska, United States

Thousands of small seabirds wash up on West Coast in die-off mystery
Scientists are trying to determine why thousands of tiny seabirds called Cassin's auklets have washed up on the West Coast, all the way from B.C. to California.
Long Beach, Pacific Rim National Park
CBC News

Pine grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator)
Pine grosbeak
Nome, Alaska, United States

Bethel Receives an Unusual Winter Visitor – A Robin
A rare winter robin has been spotted in Bethel and it has folks wondering what exactly it means. Locals and a biologist say they think it has to do with climate change.
Bethel, Alaska, United States

Startling starling numbers appear in bird count
Local birders who participated in the recent 2005 Anchorage Christmas Bird Count noted a sharp increase in European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), a sometimes aggressive species that's relatively new to Alaska.
Anchorage Daily News

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