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SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015
Migratory waterfowl poten-
tially carrying a highly patho-
genic bird flu virus are about to
begin the annual trek south
over Oregon and other states in
the Pacific Flyway.
That means it’s time for the
Oregon
Department
of
Agriculture (ODA) to step up
its outreach and education
efforts to backyard bird owners
whose flocks might come in
contact with wild waterfowl
over the fall and winter.
The
messages
haven’t
changed much from earlier this
year when ODA and its part-
ners embarked on outreach fol-
lowing two separate detections
of highly pathogenic avian
influenza (HPAI) in backyard
birds in Douglas and Deschutes
counties, but those messages
bear repeating.
“Getting the word out about
practicing good biosecurity is
important 12 months a year, but
fall and winter are especially
critical because migration of
waterfowl is taking place,” says
ODA Avian Health Coordinator
Madeline Benoit. “The cold
and wet weather ahead of us
actually helps the virus to sur-
vive better and with a lot of
people hiking or hunting in the
fall, they could unknowingly
track the virus home on their
shoes and spread it to any back-
yard birds they might have.”
Outreach efforts ramped up
following last December’s
detection of HPAI in a flock of
backyard birds in Douglas
County. That kicked off imple-
mentation of Oregon’s multi-
agency response plan to bird flu
which includes enhanced sur-
veillance along with increased
outreach and education, espe-
cially to backyard bird owners.
A second detection of HPAI
in a Deschutes County back-
yard flock in February provided
additional impetus to reach bird
owners throughout the state.
While commercial poultry
operations need to be prepared
for dealing with HPAI, messag-
ing about good biosecurity has
focused on backyard bird own-
ers.
No commercial poultry in
Oregon was affected by the
outbreaks inside the state’s bor-
der, even though commercial
operators in other states were
greatly impacted by HPAI out-
breaks in the Midwest this year.
“Since the two Oregon out-
breaks, we’ve reached out to at
least 8,000 people through bird
shows, poultry swaps, and
other events that attract back-
yard flock owners,” says
Benoit.
The presence of ODA and
U.S.
Department
of
Agriculture’s Animal Plant
Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) at these venues has
helped deliver targeted mes-
sages about improving biosecu-
rity among backyard flocks.
Outreach efforts extended to
in-person presentations at 4-H
events and county fairs this
summer, even as fair managers,
as a precaution, decided against
allowing waterfowl on site.
ODA and its partners will
seek out other events and ven-
ues this fall and winter. For
some backyard bird owners, it
will be news they have not yet
heard.
For others, the information
will be a reinforcement of what
they’ve heard before. If bird
owners have let their guard
down since February, it’s time
to get re-engaged.
“We will be saying a lot of
the same things and hitting on
the points about increased
biosecurity,” says Benoit. “A
key message for backyard bird
owners is that they need to be
more aware now, and think of
how they can better protect
their birds.”
Some of the educational
tools being employed were
developed well before HPAI
arrived
to
the
Pacific
Northwest. Others have since
been developed. Infographics,
pamphlets, posters, stickers,
and info-magnets have been
created and distributed to loca-
tions that come in contact with
bird owners, including animal
feed stores.
Packets of information have
been sent to 4-H groups and
others. A backyard bird biose-
curity video features tips and
general practices that empower
people to protect their birds
from avian influenza.
A new video is in the works
that focuses on educating
hunters, falconers, birdwatch-
ers, and other recreationists that
might come into contact with
wild waterfowl this fall and
winter seasons.
In general, HPAI messaging
to backyard bird owners falls
into three categories — a focus
on birds, a focus on the envi-
ronment, and a focus on trans-
portation and equipment. One
important tip applies to birds in
all situations, HPAI notwith-
standing.
“Check your birds for signs
and symptoms of disease,” says
Benoit. “Know what healthy
birds look like. Keep their
water and feeders clean, along
with equipment that may come
in
contact
with
them.
Quarantine new birds that you
purchase for 30 days when they
come into your flock. Buy birds
from reputable sources.”
Focusing on the environment
is a bit more challenging since
migratory waterfowl are seem-
ingly everywhere in the fall.
Benoit asks that bird owners be
aware of introducing the virus
on such things as bike and truck
tires, equipment, and supplies.
“The most crucial thing over
the next several months is to
keep your backyard birds away
from wild waterfowl,” says
Benoit, noting that the flock
infected last year in Douglas
County had access to a pond
that was frequented by migrato-
ry birds. “Don’t let them com-
mingle, don’t let your birds free
range with wild waterfowl.
Don’t entice the waterfowl to
come into your yard. For
instance, don’t feed the wild
ducks if they are on your prop-
erty.”
In addition to practicing
good biosecurity, backyard bird
owners should monitor their
flock closely and report sick or
dead birds to ODA at 1-800-
347-7028.
The
Oregon
Department of Fish and
Wildlife continues asking peo-
ple to report wild bird deaths by
calling 1-866-968-2600.
People should avoid contact
with sick or dead wild and
domestic birds.
The need for outreach and
education will continue in the
months ahead, as it is unlikely
that HPAI will disappear any
time soon.
“This could be a way of life
for the next several years,” says
Benoit.”
For more information, visit
www.bit.do/OR birdflu.
Anglers prepare for opening of coastal wild salmon season Tuesday
SALEM — Wild coho sea-
sons on many coastal rivers and
bays will open beginning
Tuesday, Sept. 15. This year
rivers in 11 basins on Oregon’s
coast will be open for wild
coho
harvest
including
Tillamook Bay, Nestucca Bay,
Siletz, Yaquina, Alsea, Beaver
Creek, Siuslaw, Umpqua, Coos,
Coquille and Floras Creek/New
River.
In
addition,
Tenmile,
Viks
from 1B
he said. “We’re excited. They
can run. But even more than
that they fit in right away.
“They’re great kids, from a
great family, and those are the
kind of kids you can build on.”
He also saw positive signs
from his freshman twins, Kaeli
and Trinity Ramos.
“I’ve told them both how
good they are, and how much
they can help us, and how
much we need them,” Johnson
said. “We need them to grow
up fast. That’s a lot (to expect
from) a freshman who has not
been in a varsity program
before, and to come in here
with high expectations.
“But that’s how it’s got to
be, and they’re going to get
better.”
Today’s races at Ash Creek
include a 5,000-meter varsity
boys race at noon and a 5,000-
meter varsity girls race is at
12:30 p.m. Earlier races, each
at 3,000 meters, are boys junior
varsity at 10 a.m., girls junior
varsity at 10:30 a.m., boys
novice at 11 a.m. and girls
novice at 11:30 a.m.
Nearly three dozen schools
are entered, including two of
the Vikings’ Far West League
rivals, Marshfield and North
Bend.
The top 10 individual finish-
ers will get T-shirts, while
there’s an extra incentive for
the winning team: Berry pie.
“We can’t get better if we
don’t go every day to practice
and work hard,” Johnson said.
“I’ve said a that a thousand
times. But it’s on them. It’s not
always easy, but it’s simple.”
Tugman Invitational results:
Girls (5,000 meters)
1. Sailor Hutton, Bandon,
18:56. 2. Celie Mans, Siuslaw,
19:41. 3. Gabby Hobson,
North Bend, 20:27. 4. Jazmin
Chavez, Marshfield, 20:37. 5.
Kaitlin Armstrong, Gold
Beach, 20:37. 6. Aida Santoro,
Bandon, 21:14. 7. Megan
Rutherford, North Bend,
21:17. 8. Camerin Feagins,
Sutherlin, 21:18. 9. Sarah
Cutler, Bandon, 21:20. 10.
Morgan Bingham, Siuslaw,
Siltcoos and Tahkenitch lakes
will have wild coho seasons.
Fishery managers are pre-
dicting there will be 206,600
adult wild coho in the ocean
this summer, most of which
will return to Oregon’s coastal
rivers and streams. This is
slightly below last year’s pre-
dicted return, and significantly
lower than the 2014 actual
return of 359,624 fish.
“Unlike recent years, this
21:21.
Other Siuslaw: 14. Kaeli
Ramos 21:51. 17. Mikaela
Siegel 22:02. 20. Sierra Potter
22:13. 25. Trinity Ramos
22:13. 30. Lainey Goss 23:56.
40. Kaylee Graham 24:44.
Team scoring: Siuslaw 52,
North Bend 53, Bandon 71,
South Umpqua 85, Marshfield
104, Oakland 164.
Boys (5,000 meters)
1. Michael Brown, North
Bend, 16:40. 2. Sawyer
Heckard, Marshfield, 16:41. 3.
Hunter Hutton, Bandon, 16:51.
4. Josh Snyder, Bandon, 17:06.
5. Chris Burton, Brookings-
Harbor, 17:26. 6. George
LaGesse, North Bend, 17:27.
year’s projections are not as
consistent up and down the
coast, resulting in shorter sea-
sons on some rivers, while oth-
ers are very similar to last
year,” said Mike Gray, ODFW
fish biologist in Charleston.
On the North Coast, there
will be shortened seasons in the
Tillamook and Nestucca basins
and, due to poorer forecasted
status, the Nehalem will not
open for wild coho at all
7. Ian Emlet, Marshfield,
17:47. 8. Jimmie Allen,
Brookings-Harbor, 17:58. 9.
Murray Bingham, Siuslaw,
18:11. 10. AJ Nichols,
Oakland, 18:13.
Other Siuslaw: 11. Isaac
Griffes 18:19. 13. Kyle King
18:31. 27. Sean Burns 19:18.
28. Tyler Williams 19:19. 33.
Jordan Northrop 19:31. 66,
Robert Mans 22:42.
Team scoring: Bandon 58,
North Bend 64, Brookings-
Harbor 81, Siuslaw 88,
Marshfield 115.
Stan Pusieski is a Siuslaw
sports fan in the Florence
community. Find him at www.
ExplodingWhaleSports.com.
NOW BUYING
USED
CARS & TRUCKS
(though it remains open for
hatchery coho).
“Our North Coast seasons
are more conservative this year
than 2013-2014, but we still
have opportunity for harvest,”
said Chris Knutsen, ODFW
fish biologist in Tillamook.
Seasons on the Alsea and
Siuslaw also will be shortened
compared to 2014, while the
Umpqua will join many other
basins that have been moved
away from specific harvest
quotas. Instead biologists are
implementing a fixed season
length.
River-specific seasons, quo-
tas, bag limits and closed areas
can be found on the ODFW
website at www.dfw.state.or.us
/resources/fishing/coastal_salm
on_seasons.asp.
While 2015 is the seventh
year in a row that Oregon’s
coastal rivers will open to the
harvest of wild coho, fishery
managers are sounding a cau-
tionary note for the near future.
“We’re coming off some
very robust years for wild coho,
but based on what we’re seeing
with ocean conditions, anglers
should begin preparing for
smaller wild coho returns and
reduced harvest opportunities
in upcoming years,” according
to Chris Kern, ODFW fish divi-
sion deputy administrator.
Looking Back
Subscribers look for the
special commemorative section in the
September 16th issue.
Single copies will be available for $5
at the Siuslaw News
148 Maple St.
in Historic Old Town
Under 100,000 miles.
2150 Hwy. 101 • Florence
(541) 997-3475 • 1-800-348-3475
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CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Avian flu outreach efforts ramp up for fall season