More than 1000 carcasses removed from Aberdeenshire beaches
Half of them have been removed from Stonehaven beach
Last updated 12th Jul 2023
Avian flu clean up efforts are continuing in Aberdeenshire with the council removing upwards of 1,000 carcasses in just three days.
Clean up efforts began on Monday with more than 300 being removed from Stonehaven.
They continued into Tuesday and Wednesday, with around 520 being picked up in the town.
Landscape Service staff have also been out at beaches in Inverbervie, where they collected 250. In Balmedie, 150 were recovered and a further 120 from Cruden Bay.
It follows reports on social media from dozens of people who've spotted carcasses on coastlines.
'Leave the disposal to us'
A statement from the local authority has thanked residents for their help, but is urging them to keep away from the birds.
"Our thanks also go to a number of our own staff from various services who have come forward and volunteered to assist with future collections as and when required.
"We have heard reports of people trying to assist in the clean-up by burying or binning bird carcasses, but please - for your own safety - leave the disposal to us.
"Thanks to our very supportive residents and community groups who have been reporting sightings, we’ve again been able to quickly map out and prioritise removal of the birds and we will be getting to all these areas just as soon as we can."
The council have urged people to continue contacting Defra on 03459 335577. If you come across large numbers of birds in popular areas, that can be reported here.
Advice
The council have also released the following safety advice:
• Do not pick up or touch dead or sick wild birds
• Keep pets/dogs away from any dead or sick birds
• Don't feed wild waterfowl
• Don't touch wild bird feathers or surfaces contaminated with droppings
If you find a live but sick bird call the SSPCA on 03000 999999 for advice - however please note that due to the current situation you should not bring any wild birds to their animal rescue and rehoming centres.
If you keep poultry or other birds, it is vital that you wash your hands and clean and disinfect your footwear before tending to your birds.