The last time GRN visited Raccoon Island in the Timbalier Sound was fairly early in the disaster, and we took a flight out with Tim Robbins. From above we saw a robust rookery with a mass of brown pelicans dotted with a few pink roseate spoonbills. The rookery was clearly threatened by an approaching ribbon of oil. The Houma Comet reported that researchers with Cornell’s Ornithology Lab had subsequently counted up to 300 oiled pelicans on the island, and though few were heavily oiled, they predicted the oil would ultimately create fatalities. I just recieved photos from photojournalist Andy Levin confirming their dire predictions. WARNING: These aren’t happy photos.Aaron Viles is GRN’s campaign director
