Bird Flu ... Maybe?

A dead goose was found in our Boat Yard this past week.  County Animal Control indicated that it could be either bird flu or due to the geese and other birds drinking water run off from roads after the all the ice and snow ... which contained salt and other de-icing chemicals.  

Since we don't know the actual cause for this goose dying, we are erroring on the side of caution. While we don't want to alarm anyone, we thought you should be aware of the following.

While bird flu does not spread easily to humans, it can spread to your pets ... especially to dogs walked near our beach area who come in contact with their droppings.  For the short term, we suggest not walking your dog where geese have been seen.  You may also want to wipe their paws and your shoes when you return to your home if you do walk through an area that the geese frequent.

If you find a dead bird in any of our common areas, please email the Board to have it removed.  If you find a dead bird on your property, NJDEP Fish & Wildlife suggests the following procedure for disposal.

• Do not touch the bird with your bare hands.  Wear gloves, a mask, and eye protection.
• Double-bag the dead bird and seal the bag tightly with a knot or zip tie.
• Place in a secure outdoor trash container.

If 5 or more dead birds are found, Fish & Wildlife has a Wild Bird Disease Reporting Form that needs to be completed via this link -- https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/749040214c974bb88c89c58483a51ab8.

Thanks in advance for your understanding and cooperation.