Man finds dead bird sewn into slipper

BLACKBURN, England, March 10 (UPI) -- A British man said he discovered a dead bird sewn inside a pair of slippers he recently bought from a Primark store in Blackburn.

Jonathan Gregory, 27, said he had been wearing the slippers for about a month -- he bought them in January -- when he made the discovery, The Sun reported Sunday.

He said he noticed something rubbing against his foot in one of the slippers and initially thought it was a piece of plastic, but then saw that it was a beak attached to a head.

Gregory cut through the lining of the slipper and found the rest of the bird.

"The worst thing was I was in the middle of making my tea when I found it -- it put me off my pork chops I was so disgusted," he said.

"I've even put my bare feet in those slippers after I've had a bath," Gregory said. "I washed my feet with bleach after I found that bird -- who knows what diseases it has?"

Gregory brought the slippers back to the Primark store where he bought them and was given a refund.

"Primark cares about its customers very much. The company is carrying out an urgent and detailed investigation and apologises to the customer concerned for any distress caused," a Primark spokesman said

The store said, however, that "the last recorded sale of the product in question was in Blackburn was over a year ago."

Gregory said: "I can't believe I've only been given a 4 pound ($5.97) refund, it's outrageous. And now they're trying to say I bought them a year ago. I think I'd remember if I'd had them a whole year."

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/03/10/Man-finds-dead-bird-sewn-into-slipper/UPI-45841362929712/#ixzz2NKfa1vDF

Osprey carrying a dead bird a rare sight, indeed

A long-time Chester reader had an unusual experience observing osprey while vacationing this summer on Bustin's Island, a small island in Casco Bay, Maine, reached by boat from South Freeport. 

His letter read in part: “The cottage we rent is very close to the water with a wonderful view which includes a large tidal pool. The osprey were very numerous this year and had nests on Bustin's Island and another small island nearby. One day, I looked up and saw an osprey carrying a dead bird. Knowing they feed on fish I was mystified. It landed by the tidal pool, flew across to the other side and sort of picked at the bird. It took off once again and this time dropped the bird that was black and could have been a crow. I walked out to see if I could find it, but it had evidently landed in the water and sank. I talked with others on the island including our 'resident naturalist,' who was as mystified as I was. One thing that might have happened is that it was a crow that might have been near the osprey's nest and, if there were young, was protecting them. Of course we will never really know as it got rid of the evidence.

“Another thing that happened was two poor sparrows were stuck with a baby Cowbird in their nest — an all too common occurrence.”

I believe our Chester reader came to a logical conclusion with respect to the mysterious osprey's catch. In any case, this is the first time I ever heard of an osprey carrying or “pecking” at a dead bird.

Read more:  http://www.unionleader.com/article/20121013/NEWHAMPSHIRE0302/710139992

Another Dead Bird in Culver City Tests Positive for West Nile Virus

Another dead bird testing positive for West Nile Virus has been discovered in Culver City.

The Los Angeles County West Vector & Vector-Borne Disease Control District based in Culver City announced the discovery on Sept. 18. It is the eighth bird that has now tested positive for the virus in Culver City (see attached PDF to the right of this article with a breakdown of neighborhoods and zip codes).

Culver City residents who discover a dead bird should call 1-877-WNV BIRD (1-877-968-2473). Dead birds must be less than 24 hours old to be able to test them for West Nile virus. If the bird is rigid or decomposed, it cannot be used for testing.

According to the Disease Control District, birds that are not in a condition to be tested can be disposed of in your normal weekly trash by taking the following steps:

• Take plastic garbage bag and insert your hand in the open end.
• Grab the dead bird and pull it into the garbage bag using an “outside-to-inside” pulling motion.
• Tie off the bag with the bird inside and place it in your regular trash for disposal.

The District does not pick up and disposed of dead birds that are not in a condition to be tested. Animal Control should be called for disposal of dead birds that are too old to be tested, if the personal disposal method listed above is not used.

Continued: http://culvercity.patch.com/articles/another-dead-bird-in-culver-city-tests-positive-for-west-nile-virus

Dead bird in Mendocino County tests positive for West Nile Virus

The first positive case of West Nile Virus in Mendocino County in recent years was reportedly found Tuesday, Mendocino County Public Health Services reported Friday.

A bird found in Inland Mendocino County tested positive for the virus Sept. 11, according to Public Health, representing the first positive case in "several years." No human cases of WNV have been found since September 2008, according to Public Health.

The virus is transmitted to humans and animals through a mosquito bite. Mosquitoes are infected when they feed on infected birds. Mendocino County Public Health Officer Dr. Craig McMillan recommends the following precautions to decrease the risk of contracting mosquito-borne diseases.

Avoid spending time outdoors at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.

When outside, wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, and use insect repellent. Products containing DEET appear to be most effective.

Eliminate all sources of standing water that can support mosquito breeding.

Read on:  http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/ci_21548590/dead-bird-mendocino-county-tests-positive-west-nile