Dead seabirds tested for bird flu

Wed, 20 Jul 2022

Fleshwick Bay / Â© Copyright Rude Health

People are asked not to touch sick or dead birds after a significant number were found washed up on beaches in the Isle of Man.

The Government’s vets have collected more than 20 carcases along the south and west coast since the first finding on Fenella Beach in Peel last Thursday.

The dead birds, which are mainly guillemots, have also been found at Fleshwick, Spaldrick, Niarbyl and Kirk Michael, with further reports in Port Erin and near the Calf of Man.

Last month bird flu was confirmed at some of the UK's most important seabird colonies at Bass Rock in Scotland, the Farne Islands in northeast England, and the Norfolk coast, so samples have been sent to the UK for testing.