MidnightWatcher – Prophecy in Motion

By Jeff DeLong – “Nearly 2,000 ducks and other birds are dead from avian botulism in one of Nevada’s more significant outbreaks of the disease.

Mallards, green-wing teals, redhead ducks and other birds including American avocets and white-faced ibis began dying at a private lake about 20 miles southwest of Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge on Aug. 30.

The number of bacteria-killed birds has been on a steady rise ever since and could make 2011 one of the 10 worst years for botulism outbreaks since state records started in 1949.

‘It’s starting to get a bit out of control,’ said Russell Woolstenhulme, a migratory game bird specialist with the Nevada Department of Wildlife.

The die-off is occurring at Six Man Club, a private hunting lake near Carson Lake south of Fallon. On Wednesday, crews working by air boat fished 398 dead birds out of the water and on Thursday, another 344, Woolstenhulme said. As of Friday, 1,942 birds have died.” Read more.