Avian Disease Prevention Program 2018 Season A Success

By Biologist Cole Jower

​With the closing of 2018 also comes the end of another Avian Disease Prevention Program season in the South Bay! This year we collected and removed 10 dead birds of 5 species (American White Pelican, California Gull, Double-crested Cormorant, Mallard, and Canada Goose), 17 dead striped bass, and 1 unknown fish species. In addition, we captured 10 sick or injured birds with 8 California Gulls, 1 Herring Gull, and 1 Mallard. All live birds were taken to the ...

Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley and 4 were successfully rehabilitated and released. ​

​With the season wrapped up, we would like to offer thanks to all the staff and volunteers who assisted with surveys this year helping collect sick, injured or dead birds in the South Bay sloughs and sometimes having to brave the extreme elements such as hot weather or smoke from wildfires. The ADPP would not be possible without volunteer help, as evidenced by the 160 survey hours donated by 14 volunteers this year! SFBBO thanks our dedicated volunteers: Richard Casserley, Bill Hepburn, Gabbie Burns, Jeff Englander, Brad Speno, Jessica Webb, Kevyn Adams, Susan Greenberg-Englander, Jessica Kochick, William Payton, Graham Pimm, Amy Hewett, and Don Jower. ​

​Special thanks to Ken Smith for maintaining our boat, and to the following SFBBO staff: Victoria Heyse, Cole Jower, Anjou Kato, and Max Tarjan. We also want to give an extra special thanks to Waterbird Lead Biologist, Victoria Heyse, who after four seasons of leading ADPP surveys and coordinating volunteers, is moving on to new opportunities with Santa Clara County Parks. We wish you all the best with your new adventures and are extremely grateful for your dedication over the years!

Cole Jower is a biologist with SFBBO's Waterbird, Plover, Landbird, and Habitats Programs.