Estonian oil spill threatens 35,000 birds

Estonian oil spill threatens 35,000 birds
By Elizabeth Davies
Published: 07 February 2006
Up to 35,000 birds, including snow geese, gulls and swans, may die as a
result of an oil spill in the frozen waters off Estonia's north-west
coast.

Also threatened are rare white-tailed eagles and eagle owls, which have
ingested oil after eating stricken seabirds with oil on their feathers.
The worst-affected area is a 22-mile stretch of coast in the north-west
of the country, near the Gulf of Finland.

More than 3,000 dead birds, heavily coated in oil, have so far been
collected from the polluted waters of the Baltic Sea. Local birds, as
well as migrating species, have fallen victim to the spill.

But the true cost of the disaster is likely to be far higher ,
according to Vilju Lilleleht, a spokesman for the Estonian
Ornithological Society. "The real number of deaths could be as high as
35,000," said Mr Lilleleht, adding that only about 10 per cent of bird
casualties were ever found in the aftermath of oil slicks.

The spill of about 20 tons of oil, first noticed by authorities last
Saturday as it spread through the coastal areas of Laane and Harju
counties, south-west of the capital, Tallinn, was originally thought to
have had a relatively limited impact on the local ecosystem. But
temperatures of minus 20C have slowed attempts to save live birds and
gather up those already dead.

Many of the birds are far out to sea and have taken refuge on thin ice,
meaning that the rescue work is fraught with difficulties. One of the
chief casualties of the spill is thought to have been the scarce
long-tailed duck.

An Estonian ornithologist, Tiit Randla, said it was very hard to save
the life of a bird that had come in to contact with oil. "When a bird's
feathers are covered in oil it stops feeding and quietly fades away,"
he told the Baltic News Service. "In theory, a bird can be saved only
if single feathers are oiled. We hope birds with few oil-covered
feathers will lose them while moulting."

The source of the spill is still being investigated. The Baltic Sea is
a busy shipping route, with many Russian oil tankers sailing to
European markets. Estonian authorities have said that any one of 100
oil tankers could have been responsible for the leak, perhaps without
even knowing it. They admitted that it was highly unlikely that the
particular ship would ever be identified.

Up to 35,000 birds, including snow geese, gulls and swans, may die as a
result of an oil spill in the frozen waters off Estonia's north-west
coast.

Also threatened are rare white-tailed eagles and eagle owls, which have
ingested oil after eating stricken seabirds with oil on their feathers.
The worst-affected area is a 22-mile stretch of coast in the north-west
of the country, near the Gulf of Finland.

More than 3,000 dead birds, heavily coated in oil, have so far been
collected from the polluted waters of the Baltic Sea. Local birds, as
well as migrating species, have fallen victim to the spill.

But the true cost of the disaster is likely to be far higher ,
according to Vilju Lilleleht, a spokesman for the Estonian
Ornithological Society. "The real number of deaths could be as high as
35,000," said Mr Lilleleht, adding that only about 10 per cent of bird
casualties were ever found in the aftermath of oil slicks.

The spill of about 20 tons of oil, first noticed by authorities last
Saturday as it spread through the coastal areas of Laane and Harju
counties, south-west of the capital, Tallinn, was originally thought to
have had a relatively limited impact on the local ecosystem. But
temperatures of minus 20C have slowed attempts to save live birds and
gather up those already dead.
Many of the birds are far out to sea and have taken refuge on thin ice,
meaning that the rescue work is fraught with difficulties. One of the
chief casualties of the spill is thought to have been the scarce
long-tailed duck.

An Estonian ornithologist, Tiit Randla, said it was very hard to save
the life of a bird that had come in to contact with oil. "When a bird's
feathers are covered in oil it stops feeding and quietly fades away,"
he told the Baltic News Service. "In theory, a bird can be saved only
if single feathers are oiled. We hope birds with few oil-covered
feathers will lose them while moulting."

The source of the spill is still being investigated. The Baltic Sea is
a busy shipping route, with many Russian oil tankers sailing to
European markets. Estonian authorities have said that any one of 100
oil tankers could have been responsible for the leak, perhaps without
even knowing it. They admitted that it was highly unlikely that the
particular ship would ever be identified.

Runge wrote:
Here we go again
the self appointed newsman
is back

suck it up dude

Runge wrote:

Here we go again
the self appointed newsman
is back


Birds travel too...

--
Best
Greg

Here we go again
the self appointed newsman
is back

"eetinBelgië" a écrit dans le message de news:
...
Estonian oil spill threatens 35,000 birds
By Elizabeth Davies
Published: 07 February 2006
Up to 35,000 birds, including snow geese, gulls and swans, may die as a
result of an oil spill in the frozen waters off Estonia's north-west
coast.

Also threatened are rare white-tailed eagles and eagle owls, which have
ingested oil after eating stricken seabirds with oil on their feathers.
The worst-affected area is a 22-mile stretch of coast in the north-west
of the country, near the Gulf of Finland.

More than 3,000 dead birds, heavily coated in oil, have so far been
collected from the polluted waters of the Baltic Sea. Local birds, as
well as migrating species, have fallen victim to the spill.

But the true cost of the disaster is likely to be far higher ,
according to Vilju Lilleleht, a spokesman for the Estonian
Ornithological Society. "The real number of deaths could be as high as
35,000," said Mr Lilleleht, adding that only about 10 per cent of bird
casualties were ever found in the aftermath of oil slicks.

The spill of about 20 tons of oil, first noticed by authorities last
Saturday as it spread through the coastal areas of Laane and Harju
counties, south-west of the capital, Tallinn, was originally thought to
have had a relatively limited impact on the local ecosystem. But
temperatures of minus 20C have slowed attempts to save live birds and
gather up those already dead.

Many of the birds are far out to sea and have taken refuge on thin ice,
meaning that the rescue work is fraught with difficulties. One of the
chief casualties of the spill is thought to have been the scarce
long-tailed duck.

An Estonian ornithologist, Tiit Randla, said it was very hard to save
the life of a bird that had come in to contact with oil. "When a bird's
feathers are covered in oil it stops feeding and quietly fades away,"
he told the Baltic News Service. "In theory, a bird can be saved only
if single feathers are oiled. We hope birds with few oil-covered
feathers will lose them while moulting."

The source of the spill is still being investigated. The Baltic Sea is
a busy shipping route, with many Russian oil tankers sailing to
European markets. Estonian authorities have said that any one of 100
oil tankers could have been responsible for the leak, perhaps without
even knowing it. They admitted that it was highly unlikely that the
particular ship would ever be identified.

Up to 35,000 birds, including snow geese, gulls and swans, may die as a
result of an oil spill in the frozen waters off Estonia's north-west
coast.

Also threatened are rare white-tailed eagles and eagle owls, which have
ingested oil after eating stricken seabirds with oil on their feathers.
The worst-affected area is a 22-mile stretch of coast in the north-west
of the country, near the Gulf of Finland.

More than 3,000 dead birds, heavily coated in oil, have so far been
collected from the polluted waters of the Baltic Sea. Local birds, as
well as migrating species, have fallen victim to the spill.

But the true cost of the disaster is likely to be far higher ,
according to Vilju Lilleleht, a spokesman for the Estonian
Ornithological Society. "The real number of deaths could be as high as
35,000," said Mr Lilleleht, adding that only about 10 per cent of bird
casualties were ever found in the aftermath of oil slicks.

The spill of about 20 tons of oil, first noticed by authorities last
Saturday as it spread through the coastal areas of Laane and Harju
counties, south-west of the capital, Tallinn, was originally thought to
have had a relatively limited impact on the local ecosystem. But
temperatures of minus 20C have slowed attempts to save live birds and
gather up those already dead.
Many of the birds are far out to sea and have taken refuge on thin ice,
meaning that the rescue work is fraught with difficulties. One of the
chief casualties of the spill is thought to have been the scarce
long-tailed duck.

An Estonian ornithologist, Tiit Randla, said it was very hard to save
the life of a bird that had come in to contact with oil. "When a bird's
feathers are covered in oil it stops feeding and quietly fades away,"
he told the Baltic News Service. "In theory, a bird can be saved only
if single feathers are oiled. We hope birds with few oil-covered
feathers will lose them while moulting."

The source of the spill is still being investigated. The Baltic Sea is
a busy shipping route, with many Russian oil tankers sailing to
European markets. Estonian authorities have said that any one of 100
oil tankers could have been responsible for the leak, perhaps without
even knowing it. They admitted that it was highly unlikely that the
particular ship would ever be identified.

eetinBelgië wrote:

Runge wrote:
Here we go again
the self appointed newsman
is back

suck it up dude


Lol...

Here is a contest. Finish this phrase:

"A day without gRunge is like a day without ______.___.."

--
Best
Greg

Gregory Morrow wrote:

eetinBelgië wrote:


Runge wrote:

Here we go again
the self appointed newsman
is back


suck it up dude


Lol...

Here is a contest. Finish this phrase:

"A day without gRunge is like a day without ______.___.."

....stuffing weasels down your pants.
--
dgs

I don't know why you anglosaxon expats feel that urge to play the (bad)
journalist.
I don't see any other nationalities doing that.
All the articles you pick from the news are outdated at the time we get to
see them, most or all are OT and can be read in any group you like to
infest.
I don't see any difference between evleth's posts in death penalty and here,
only martin doesn't want to joke over there, only here.
And you, newport thing, you don't attract many readers except for 2 or 3
guys who enjoy polluting just like you, eh, morrow?

"eetinBelgië" a écrit dans le message de news:
...

Runge wrote:
Here we go again
the self appointed newsman
is back

suck it up dude

sure, abruti.
You don't and that's why you're here.

"Gregory Morrow" a écrit dans le message de
news: ...

Runge wrote:

Here we go again
the self appointed newsman
is back


Birds travel too...

--
Best
Greg

nice
Your name (screw) must be real, then.
Congratulations and meanwhile let's spam a little more.


a écrit dans le message de news:
...
On Tue, 07 Feb 2006 13:09:09 -0800, dgs wrote:

Gregory Morrow wrote:

eetinBelgië wrote:


Runge wrote:

Here we go again
the self appointed newsman
is back


suck it up dude


Lol...

Here is a contest. Finish this phrase:

"A day without gRunge is like a day without ______.___.."

...stuffing weasels down your pants.

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