The discovery of nearly two dozen dead geese at Charles E. Sexton Memorial Park in Webster has sparked concerns over a potential outbreak of Avian Flu, with test results from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation still pending.
While much uncertainty remains around this situation in Webster, which sits near the Wayne-Monroe county border, Montezuma Audubon Center Director Chris Lajewski says concerns around Avian Flu underscore a condition found in birds more frequently over the last few years. The United States Department of Agriculture reported over 400 cases in wild birds nationwide in the past month alone.
To be clear, Avian Flu has not yet been identified in the Webster case. However, Lajewski says the warning signs are something educators and birders are always watching out for. “This is something that we’ve been dealing with across this country now for a few years,” Lajewski told FingerLakes1.com. “This particular strain that has impacted our birds over the last two years, was first identified in winter of 2022. In the Finger Lakes region, we saw some just some birds, waterfowl in particular succumb to this virus. As we continued through the winter season, and got into the spring season of 2022, we started to see some die off in birds of prey because those eagles, hawks, falcons and owls were starting to consume infected waterfowl.”
The first reports of the deceased birds in Webster came on December 23, according to DEC officials, with the Town of Webster being alerted two days later. Despite the alarming find town officials reassured the public that the park remains safe.
Lajewski says Avian Flu can spread from birds migrating through the area, but it’s often difficult to identify the ‘how’ when it comes to the sickness entering a flock or specific location.
As for the warning signs of Avian Flu, believe it or not, Lajewski says it looks a lot like strains of flu…
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