Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on November 21, 1955.
Oily Lake Michigan Water Kills Birds
At least 200 water fowl have frozen to death along the Porter county shores of Lake Michigan, conservation officials said today.
Heavy oil in the water “gummed up” their feathers and prevented the birds from flying after alighting in the water, Conservation Officer Charles Black said.
Unable to leave the water by flying, the birds swam or were washed ashore where they froze to death.
Black and a party of seven men covered a four-mile stretch of the shoreline east and west of Dunes State park from late Saturday until 3 a.m. Sunday.
During this time, the party found 37 “grounded” birds which were still living. The men washed the fowl in a detergent and brought them to the Liberty township farm of Earl Hanrahan, where the animals are recuperating.
Black said that when the birds are able to preen their feathers with natural oil they will be released on inland lakes. The conservation officer also said today he did not know how long the birds would have to be kept at the Hanrahan’s before they could be released.
Most of the dead and rescued birds were of the inedible “fish duck” type, Black said. There were a few edible blue bills, he added. Among the birds found on the beach were cormorants, grebes and mergansers, which regularly inhabit the lake region.
Conservation officials said the source of the oil, which “is like a heavy No. 6 oil,” was not definitely known, although it may have come from industrial waste in the Gary area. Dead birds were found as far west as Michigan City.
Black said he first was notified of the condition Friday by persons at Dune Acres where youngsters were washing the grounded birds with a detergent.
Many of the surviving birds found by Black and his party Saturday night were unable to move when they were picked up and washed.
Floundering Birds Given Baths By Dunes State Park Officials
SOME OF THE 15 WATER FOWL found alive the shores of Lake Michigan’s Dune State park are shown being given a bath in a soapy detergent today to remove the gummy substance from their feathers, believed to have been caused by heavy oil in the water. The gummy condition prevented the fowl from flying, and washed them ashore. Park Supt. Max Dickey, left, reported that about one-half of the birds found along the shoreline Sunday were frozen to death. A check along the shore today revealed no floundering fowl. Helping in rehabilitation the fowl is parking employee Clarence Sederberg, of Chesterton.
