{"id":3124,"date":"2013-08-05T16:24:28","date_gmt":"2013-08-05T16:24:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/whatliesbeneathrattlechainlagoon.org.uk\/?page_id=3124"},"modified":"2020-06-20T15:11:21","modified_gmt":"2020-06-20T15:11:21","slug":"monitoring-movements","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/whatliesbeneathrattlechainlagoon.org.uk\/?page_id=3124","title":{"rendered":"Monitoring movements"},"content":{"rendered":"

Evidence of wildfowl flying to other sites and dying\u00a0 after ingesting white phosphorus was found in The Eagle River Flats investigations.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

REMEDIAL INVESTIGATION REPORT WHITE PHOSPHORUS CONTAMINATION OF SALT MARSH SEDIMENTS AT EAGLE RIVER FLATS ALASKA 1992<\/a><\/p>\n

“Following ingestion of WP particles, waterfowl are capable of flying to other feeding pond areas in ERF. Four green-wing teal out of 13 flying ducks harvested in ERF at the end of August contained WP.<\/span><\/em>
\nThis movement, along with the finding of WP in waterfowl capable of flying and in carcasses found in Gwen Lake and on the road to ERF, substantiates the possibility of ducks ingesting WP in one area and flying to another area where they die<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Given that several birds roost on the site and alight early at first light, there is the \u00a0possibility of birds having ingested particles of white phosphorus during early feeding, only later to succumb to acute effects elsewhere.\u00a0\u00a0Potentially as could their predators carrying prey off site.”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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OFF SITE WILDLIFE DEATHS LINKED TO RATTLECHAIN\u00a0LAGOON AND WHITE PHOSPHORUS<\/b><\/p>\n

A swan that had been at Rattlechain lagoon on 7\/2\/01\u00a0with a clear colour code darvic leg ring number having been read in the field,\u00a0 was subsequently found dead on the Birmingham Old Mainline canal near to the Tividale Quays the next day. THE DISTANCE INVOLVED FROM LAGOON TO CANAL POSITION OF DEATH WAS LESS THAN 400 METRES<\/strong>. Although no formal post mortem was carried out, as with the dead birds at rattlechain, there were no apparent gross external signs of injury or explanation for its sudden death. I believe that this swan was a victim of white phosphorus poisoning.<\/p>\n

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It is possible to study individual birds in this way by recording their leg ring numbers. Some swans have a plastic darvic ring consisting of numbers and letters. They also may have a British Trust for Ornithology metal ring- these are shown below.<\/p>\n

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A B.T.O ring on a swan’s\u00a0 leg<\/p><\/div>\n

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Darvic bling<\/p><\/div>\n

Some canada geese in the Midlands area also have rings. Whilst they offer a valuable observational tool, their brittle nature makes them easily crack, and they have been responsible for several incidents\u00a0of needless\u00a0damage to birds feet and legs.<\/p>\n

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Canada goose leg ring that has pierced its foot after cracking<\/p><\/div>\n

The colour coding of swan darvic rings for the Midland counties tends to be<\/p>\n