PORTSMOUTH, Va. — From high above the houses on Lynn Drive in Portsmouth, storm debris came crashing down Sunday. But the severe storm's wind and rain brouht down more than tree limbs and leaves.
Neighbors walked outside Monday to a much different sight. They and responding agencies, like Portsmouth Animal Control and fire officials, collected and cleaned up dozens of egrets from the Lynn Drive rookery on the Western Branch of the Elizabeth River.
“My husband probably cleaned up maybe 20," said resident Catrena Speller.
Estimates by neighbors, like Bethany Gottleber, account for dozens of egrets that did not survive, as they saw many birds dead on their lawns and street corners.
“More than a dozen white birds on the ground, not moving," she recalled. “There were two dead ones by my carport."
According to the United States Department of Agriculture:
Since herons and egrets are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, habitat management in active rookeries is prohibited. All habitat modifications to prevent future rookeries must be performed during the non-breeding season.
Approximately 15 egrets that fell on Lynn Drive and survived are now with Lisa Barlow, who runs the migratory bird rehabilitation center TREE (Tidewater Rehabilitation and Environmental Education).
“Thirteen of them right now, three of them are injured and have appointments for surgery this week," Barlow told 13News Now.
She said they’ll rehab their injuries over the next two to three weeks.
Officials with Portsmouth’s Animal Control told 13News Now they recovered roughly five egrets in the cleanup process.