Oil on my beach!

[goosey]

On Sunday we had gales and the sea was pouring on to the beach (Kennemerstrand, Ijmuiden) over the pier as well as the tide itself practically up to where the dunes start.
Sunday (22nd Jan) I noticed nothing, but a trip yesterday (23rd Jan), the sea had retreated 50 or more back to where you usually see it at it's high point. But along Sunday's tideline I saw blobs of oil at the north of the beach by the pier but as I started to walk further southwards the blobs were bigger and more of them.
The news last night reported that oil has been found from up the coast at Wijk aan zee, to Bloemendaal down the coast from here (we are in the middle).
Some oil covered sea birds have already been rescued and are being cleaned up.
I must see if I can find out who I should contact if I come across birds which have been covered in oil.

Oil samples have been taken, and the authorities involved are trying to to track down where the oil has come from.
On Friday a large ship had broken anchor a few km out at sea and was washed in to shore off of Wijk aan Zee and got stuck. I think this must be a coincidence and the ship would have been checked for damage at the time.

[goosey]

I decided to have a look this morning and was pleased to see the traces of oil on the beach had already been cleared. Then I saw this poor gull, not as bad as some poor birds you see covered in oil but enough to make its feathers non water proof and let the cold in an no chance of recovery if left to its own devices. You can see it has attempted to clean itself as the oil is also around the beak.
I was so angry with myself as I hadn't found a phone number to get help if I needed it before I left home,even though I had thought about it.
I went to a cafe actually on the beach, often frequented by birders (they have a bird log book so I thought I would stand a good chance of getting something sorted and finding someone in the know) and asked if there was anyone I could contact, luckily the bird had already been spotted and reported and help was on the way.

[Suzanne B]

That's good news goosey. I had my heart in my mouth during that post. Thank goodness the oil is dispersing now and that little kittiwake has got some help.
It makes you so cross that 'we' can damage nature with our ways doesn't it.
Hope you've got the number to ring now just in case you find any further oil covered birds.
And I hope your beach returns to normal asap.