Memorial Park closed as birds settle in

The birds own the park for at least the rest of the summer and we get to clean up after them.

That’s the decision reached by local leadership based on state and federal laws, which forbid disturbing or harassing migrating birds once they have established a habitat.

“It’s frustrating that this is the most that can be done at this date,” said Glenn County Supervisor Tracey Quarne.

Memorial Park, which belongs to the county, closed to the public early Wednesday. The city also closed the 100 block of North Murdock Street to prevent people from interfering with the population and from coming in contact with bird droppings.

The County Public Works department will continue to pick up carcasses twice a day and will power-wash the sidewalks and surrounding areas weekly.

Glenn County health officials have said the birds do not pose a public health risk, provided people leave the birds alone and bird droppings are cleaned regularly.

Bobbe Lewis, Public Works’ facilities manager, works across the street from the park. She expressed frustration with regulations that prevent more immediate action.

“We’ve really had our hands tied by regulatory agencies,” Lewis said.

At last count, workers have removed more than 600 carcasses from Memorial Park and surrounding areas. The county has already spent more than $3,000 cleaning up after the birds.

The Glenn County Sheriff’s Office has received numerous calls regarding the egrets and night heron fledglings in Memorial park and the surrounding area. The Sheriff’s Office offers the following suggestions for residents who live nearby:

• Use a garden hose or other non-harmful means to chase young birds from yards.
• Make loud noises
• Put out decoys of hawks or owls
• Use predator calls
• Leave birds that are not in the immediate area of private property alone. They are hunting for food – this is a natural event in their lives.
• Animal Control may pick up injured birds, but is not emoving viable specimens that are in the area - they are being left alone to fend for themselves as nature intended.
• Buildings and Grounds are removing the dead birds from the park twice a day and giving the park a complete wash down once a week.
• The Public health administrator has stated that the birds are NOT a public health hazard at this time.
• People should not touch dead or dying birds.
• Get a location of any of these birds that might need to be picked up for follow up action.
• If citizens see birds build a nest on their property, they should try to stop the process before the birds begin laying eggs.
• Nothing can be done to the birds after they have laid eggs.
• Migratory birds are protected by federal law while nesting.
• Glenn County and the City of Willows are developing a plan to prevent or reduce the problem next year. They
are unable to do any thing else at this point in time.