[Posted by Chuck Almdale]

Intrepid reporter Megan Tan may not be able to name her pelicans, skimmers and gulls, but – alarmed by the number of dead birds on her beach –she went seeking answers. I admire her curiosity, concern, persistence, her investigative and reporting skills, and commend her for bringing this problem to the attention of a wider audience. Perhaps she’d like to join us on one of our Malibu Lagoon trips.

Something is killing birds on local beaches — and no one knows why

From bird flu to oil rigs to a mysterious oceanic heat wave called “The Blob,” experts are chasing theories. The birds keep washing up anyway.
By Megan Tan | May. 13, 2026 | The LA Local

Exerpted from the article:

As we walked and talked, we saw the usual suspects — abandoned toothbrushes, deodorant sticks and empty laundry detergent containers blowing like tumbleweeds. The cleaning products dirtying the stretch of sand didn’t make me want to put on my shoes, but the birds did.

“Is that a seagull?” I asked. It was dead. A few more steps and we saw a cormorant, one of those black, glossy birds that are always sunbathing with their wings out. Dead. A few more steps. Another seagull. Dead. More steps. Then another cormorant. Along a 1.5-mile stretch, I saw eight dead birds.