Bird Flu at Georgica Pond?

"Over the past week, clean-up crews have buried nearly 700 geese and other birds with more believed to be out there. No official determination has been made as to what actually killed off all these birds, but according to the East Hampton Press, the animals were behaving "strange and erratic" before they died."

"The severe weather in the first two months of 2026, however, has apparently created the perfect conditions for a waterfowl outbreak at Georgica Pond: Snow cover in January made it difficult for birds to find food and weakened their immune systems, and the subsequent harsh February cold froze the pond over, pushing the birds to congregate in tight areas."

"Memory of the chaos wrought by bird flu's surge last year is still fresh: Along with dozens of cases linked to the virus, people were understandably losing their minds over $9 cartons of eggs becoming the norm at grocery stores, the result of farmers losing tens of millions of chickens to outbreaks."

Nearly 700 geese and other waterfowl have been found dead at Georgica Pond in Georgia this month, with locals suspecting H5N1 avian influenza as the cause. The birds exhibited strange and erratic behavior before dying. Severe winter weather in early 2026 created ideal conditions for an outbreak: January snow cover weakened birds' immune systems by limiting food access, while February's harsh cold froze the pond, forcing waterfowl to congregate densely. This fourth consecutive winter outbreak of H5N1 follows last year's devastating impact on poultry farms and human cases. Dead birds include geese, ducks, mergansers, a mute swan, and a seagull. Warmer weather this week may provide some relief.

Read at Curbed