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Attention

Dozens of bird corpses wash up on Monterey beach, California

James Urton
Monterey Herald
Wed, 19 Nov 2014 21:44 UTC
Image

Birds recently began washing up on Monterey Municipal Beach.
Over the past few days, the tide has brought in more than just kelp.

Recently, observant beachgoers have reported dozens of bird corpses along the high-water mark of several local beaches. On Wednesday morning, there were over four dozen dead seabirds along a 1.5-mile stretch of Monterey Municipal Beach, including Cassin's auklets, western grebes, northern fulmars and murres.

Seabirds can die during fall migration if they are too old, weak or malnourished. Also, warm near-shore waters may have decreased local populations of krill, a common food for seabirds, according to Raphael Kudela, professor of ocean sciences at UC Santa Cruz. Occasional algal blooms can also kill seabirds.

The causes of death of the birds spotted Wednesday were not known. But, dead seabirds are not an unusual feature of Monterey-area shorelines during autumn, experts with the Audubon Society and the Monterey County chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said.

"This appears to be one of those things that can happen every year around this time," said Jessica Shipman, a spokeswoman with the Monterey County SPCA.
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Attention

3 stranded sperm whales die on Rototai beach, New Zealand

Charlotte Squire
stuff.co.nz
Mon, 24 Nov 2014 21:14 UTC
Image
© Charlotte Squire
Word of mouth spread fast, inspiring hundreds of people to make the trip out on Rototai Beach to see and touch three sperm whales that stranded on the shallow tidal flats on Saturday night
In what became a Golden Bay community event, hundreds of people turned up at Rototai beach to see and touch three dead sperm whales that had become stranded.

The whales, which ranged in length from 14 to 17 metres long were located about one kilometre out on tidal flats from the beach carpark.

Local iwi gathered to bless the three whales, which were towed by tug boat to Farewell Spit last night, once the tide was high enough to move them.

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Attention

Third elephant attack within 3 days in Sri Lanka: Two killed in jumbo attack


The Island (Sri Lanka)
Thu, 27 Nov 2014 16:39 UTC
Image
Two men were killed in a wild elephant attack on Monday night at Ellakattuwa,

The deceased were A. Gunadasa (65) and P. G. Sambarana (62).

The Wildlife officials said that the elephant had emerged from the jungles of Nochchiyagama and moved to Malwathu Oya after killing the two persons.

A team of Wildlife officials had moved to the area to capture the elephant and relocate it, the officials said.

Source: NP

Comment: The other reports this week: Father and son killed in elephant attack, Sri Lanka

2 people killed in another elephant attack in Sri Lanka

Other recent reports from Sri Lanka: Wild elephant attacks kills two in Sri Lanka

One person killed in wild elephant attack in Sri Lanka

Fourth elephant attack within four weeks in Sri Lanka

Two killed in a wild elephant attack in Maankulam, Sri Lanka

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Attention

Large-scale die-off of Cassin's auklets reported along U.S. West Coast

Mary Callahan
The Press Democrat
Sun, 23 Nov 2014 15:46 UTC
Image
© SABINE'S SUNBIRD
Cassins Auklet at night (Ptychoramphus aleuticus) photo taken in 2003 on Farallon Islands
Scientists up and down the West Coast are monitoring what appears to be a large-scale die-off of young Cassin's auklets, small seabirds whose breeding grounds include a colony in the Farallon Islands west of San Francisco.

Emaciated, white-bellied birds have been washing ashore in Sonoma County and along a broad swath of California coastline since early November after a period of ocean warming in the Farallones region and disappearance of the tiny krill that provide their main source of food, researchers say.

Scientists are still collecting data, but the largest concentration of dead birds appears to be in northern Oregon, according to monitors in the Pacific Northwest. Birds have been washing up in Washington, as well.

Scientists say anyone who finds a dead bird should leave it alone so that monitors surveying the beaches can collect accurate records on the die-off.
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Question

Over 30 dead or dying crows found in Portland parks, Oregon

Ken Boddie
koin.com
Wed, 26 Nov 2014 14:56 UTC
Image
© K0IN 6 News
About 30 dead crows were found in downtown Portland parks, Nov. 26, 2014
ODFW will conduct necropsies, Audobon Society helping to investigate

About 30 dead crows were found along the Willamette River waterfront and some Portland parks, and officials don't have any idea at this time what caused their deaths.

Several crows were seen suffering seizures and flopping on the ground at Waterfront Park, police said, and several dead crows were seen nearby. Other dead crows were found around Chapman and Lownsdale Square parks and the Lovejoy Fountain.

PPB Sgt. Roger Axtelm said the bureau "had a number of phone calls from citizens calling about the blackbirds that were down and apparently ill. Some were deceased."

A few of the birds were alive but in bad shape. Bob Sallinger with the Portland Audobon Society said the ones still alive "were convulsing."

      Read More...
Bizarro Earth

Powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake strikes off Indonesia


Associated Press
Wed, 26 Nov 2014 22:11 UTC
Image
© USGS
A powerful earthquake struck off the coast of eastern Indonesia late Wednesday, prompting villagers to flee to higher ground, but officials said a tsunami was unlikely.There were no immediate reports of injuries or serious damage.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude-6.8 quake hit about 161 kilometers (100 miles) northwest of Ternate, the provincial capital of North Maluku, and was centered 41 kilometers (25 miles) below the seabed. The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center said based on historical records the quake was not sufficient to trigger a tsunami.

George Rajaloa, a resident of Ternate, said by telephone that many people ran out of their homes and away from coastal areas out of fear that there would be a tsunami.

USGS data
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Cloud Precipitation

Up to 9 inches of rain across Central Florida

Tiffany Walden
Orlando Sentinel
Wed, 26 Nov 2014 20:43 UTC
Image
© AccuWeather
As the rain continues to fall across Central Florida, temperatures will steadily drop into the 50s by this afternoon due to a passing cold front, meteorologists say.

Some areas in Brevard and Volusia counties saw 7 to 9 inches of rain since Tuesday morning. As for Orange County, at least 6 inches have fallen in the attractions area, Windermere, Pine Hills and Bithlo. And it's not done raining yet, according to the National Weather Service in Melbourne. A flood watch remains in effect for Volusia, Brevard, Lake, Orange and Seminole counties through noon.

"[The rain] is slowly going to taper off through late morning," meteorologist Tony Cristaldi said. In Volusia County, one of the hardest hit areas Tuesday night was New Smyrna Beach with crews of Public Works working all hours to dry the streets. Five pumps were helping clear water throughout the city, with two pumps just on Columbus Avenue, which historically gets the most damage, said Holly Smith, spokeswoman for the city.
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Attention

Manatee from Florida makes rare visit to Texas waters

Ben Hooper
upi.com
Tue, 25 Nov 2014 20:22 UTC
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The manatee is expected to be taken to Sea World San Antonio or a Marine Mammal facility in Galveston.

Authorities in Texas said they are working on a plan to assist an unusual visitor -- the first manatee to visit the Houston area in 19 years.

The Chambers County Sheriff's Office said a deputy spotted the male manatee swimming up a channel Sunday near Baytown and barriers were put in place once the sea mammal settled in a spot next to a warm water outlet.

Sheriff Brian Hawthorne said waters in the area are too cold for manatees this time of year.

"The cold water makes them stressed, it makes them really tired, just like if you or I were out in a snowstorm," he told the Houston Chronicle.

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Cloud Lightning

Perth hit by severe storms and wild weather

Simon White
WAToday
Wed, 26 Nov 2014 20:38 UTC
Image
© www.lukebakerphoto.com
Lightning seems to threaten a plane and the BHP tower.
Perth residents have been hit by severe storms and wild weather late on Wednesday, as lightning cracked across the Perth sky.

The BoM received reports of electrical activity over Perth throughout Wednesday morning and early afternoon but duty forecaster James Ashley said that worse storm conditions would continue into the evening.

"There is lots of lightning in the metropolitan area - as people would have noticed," Mr Ashley said. "But there is also a storm south-west of Gingin that is moving south that is a bit of a concern.

"The storm that is over us at the moment isn't severe. But there is a chance the one coming could be." A severe weather warning was still in place at 5pm for the metroplitan area, highlighting damaging winds, possible flash flooding and hail.
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Cloud Precipitation

Israel sees rainiest season in center of country in 20 years - parts hit with up to 110 mm. of rain


Jerusalem Post
Wed, 26 Nov 2014 20:28 UTC
Image
© Skymet Weather
Floods wreak havoc in Lebanon, Israel and Palestine |
Heavy rains battered Israel from north to south on Wednesday, as part of what the Israel Meteorological Society said is the wettest rainy season in central Israel in 20 years.

Some of the heaviest rain fall was in Petah Tikva, where over 110mm of rain was recorded, while similar levels were recorded in the Negev, flooding dry creek beds and causing serious road congestion. The North saw significantly less rainfall, only between 20-50mm, the IMS said.

So far the amount of rainfall this season is far higher than average for this time of year, the IMS said, adding that over the past 75 years there have only been three years that saw more rain by the end of November.
      Read More...
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