Reports of dead Canada geese in great numbers along the ocean beaches in the waning days of February have announced the arrival of what appears to be a wave of avian influenza here, posing a threat not only to wild birds and domestic poultry but also to pets that “go outside and eat or are exposed to sick or dead birds” or “other animals infected with avian influenza viruses,” according to the Centers for Disease Control.
The reports — both eyewitness accounts from Star staff and photographs sent in by concerned readers — come on the heels of the recent necropsy performed on a snowy owl, found at Louse Point, that concluded it had died from the so-called “bird flu.”
While cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza have recurred in New York State, and in neighboring states, since 2022, this is the first large-scale outbreak recorded on the South Fork.
On Friday, the Friends of Georgica Pond emailed its members to inform them “that a large number of dead geese have recently been discovered at Georgica Pond” in East Hampton. “The incident has been reported to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and appropriate health authorities. While the specific cause has not yet been confirmed, highly pathogenic avian influenza . . . is currently present across New York State and is a possible cause.” Walkers who visited the pond on Saturday counted as many as 40 geese carcasses there.
Last week, dozens of dead geese were seen by Star staff on the beach between Town Line Road and the Georgica Gut. On Saturday, dozens more were photographed along the ocean near Beach Lane in Wainscott.
News reports indicate that a large wave of the virus may be moving northward from Pennsylvania, where millions of birds have died this year. According to a report that aired on Saturday on WHYY, a public radio station in Philadelphia, “Pennsylvania officials addressed growing concerns about avian flu, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported over seven million birds have been infected with the highly contagious virus in the state in the past 30 days.”
Also on Saturday, The Vineyard Gazette on Martha’s Vineyard reported that Massachusetts had recorded an outbreak in a backyard chicken flock, with “five chickens and three nearby geese” testing positive on Feb. 20.
The virus can travel when raptors, such as owls and hawks, feed on carcasses. Songbirds do not appear to be highly susceptible to infection.
Incidents of transference to humans are low. But according to the announcement from Friends of Georgica Pond, the C.D.C. recommends keeping “children and pets away from affected areas, including the shoreline and pond water, until further notice” and “preventing domestic animals from coming into contact with sick or dead wildlife.”
Those who walk their dogs unleashed on the ocean beaches should take special care.
The C.D.C. says that avian influenza viruses “mainly infect and spread among wild birds and domestic poultry,” but that “some avian influenza viruses can infect and spread to other animals, including pets. . . . While it is unlikely that you would get sick with bird flu from direct contact with your infected pet, it is possible.”
