Bird flu confirmed in East Lothian as hundreds of gannets perish

The impact of the virus is already being felt, with “significant areas on the Bass Rock which would have been brimming with gannets now largely bare”, according to the chief executive of the Scottish Seabird Centre.

Reports had suggested that more than 700 seabirds had been washed up on county beaches as a result of the suspected avian flu outbreak in the seabird population.

East Lothian Council announced that this number was inflated by duplicate reporting but confirmed that at least 287 birds had died locally of the disease.

READ MORE: Contractors hired to dispose of dead seabirds after 500 die in suspected bird flu outbreak

The reports indicated that the majority of the seabird carcasses were gannets from the Bass Rock, but confirmed that some gulls and two puffins had also perished.

It was also confirmed that the variant of the virus is H5N1, a strain known to affect humans in extremely rare cases.

The Bass Rock, near North Berwick, hosts the largest northern gannet colony in the world, with many of the animals having been uplifted for testing to confirm if an outbreak had occurred.

Last week, East Lothian Council confirmed that its countryside rangers had been tasked in uplifting many of the disease-stricken birds, while specialist contractors were hired to dispose of them.

A dead gannet on a beach in North Berwick - Gordon Bell

Numerous animals have already been collected for testing by the Government’s Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA), with positive cases having previously been confirmed in seabirds across Scotland, most notably in Shetland and Orkney, where other gannet populations are present.

An East Lothian Council spokesperson said yesterday (Wednesday): “The council received confirmation that tests carried out on a number of seabirds found in East Lothian and Portobello are positive for the H5N1 strain of avian flu.

“Countryside rangers are continuing regular patrols of the coastline of the county.

“The patrols are concentrating mainly on the stretch from North Berwick to Yellowcraig and unfortunately this area is where the majority of dead seabirds have washed up.

“All the carcasses are being removed daily and patrols will continue over the weekend.

“The forecast is suggesting good weather for the weekend, and we would like to reassure both residents and visitors that it’s perfectly safe to enjoy the beaches but please follow common sense advice and don’t lift or touch dead or ailing seabirds.

“There is no need to report any discoveries, as patrols are happening through the day.”

Susan Davies, CEO of the Seabird Centre, said: “The confirmation of avian flu along the East Lothian coastline from Dunbar to Portobello is not surprising; it is, however, distressing to see the scale of the impact on the Bass Rock – the world’s largest gannet colony – unfold further on a day-to-day basis.

“We are seeing significant areas on the Bass Rock which would have been brimming with gannets now largely bare, and chicks and eggs being deserted at the start of the breeding season.

“Sadly, we just have to watch and monitor the passage of the disease through the colony.

“We will be undertaking further survey work – some by drone – in the coming weeks to get a better handle on the scale of impact and will wish to continue work in future years to see how the colony recovers.

“This story is far from over.

“It is only with time that we will know the total extent of the impact of avian flu on these spectacular birds and other seabirds, many of which are already struggling with the impacts of climate change.

“This is not just about avian flu on the Bass Rock, it is about the health of seabird colonies across Scotland.

“The need for a seabird conservation strategy for Scotland has never been more needed and we urge the Scottish Government to make progress with this.”

The Seabird Centre also announced that it has now suspended all its specialist photography landing trips on the Bass Rock for the foreseeable future, to avoid disturbance within the heart of the colony and to minimise the biosecurity risks of spreading the disease.

Signs have now been erected across East Lothian beaches advising people to keep themselves and their pets away from the dead birds.

Dogs cannot contract the virus but can carry it, so it is important that they are kept away from the bird carcasses.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is poised to release the test results in its latest weekly report, which is expected to detail the scale of which the disease has taken hold in the county.