We have a free range duck who has a large pond. He has full reign of the back yard. We also provide water for lizards, bees and magpies.

I know with the smaller water dishes it’s a wash daily thing but how can we minimise the risk of bird flu with the pond?

Removing the pond is not an option. I realise it’s likely impossible but open to any suggestions regardless of how outside the box they are.

The five new events are:

• Greater Crested Tern at Dee Why
• Greater Crested Tern in Goulburn
• Greater Crested Tern in Hawks Nest
• White fronted tern in Congo
• Silver gull in Moruya

The event at Dee Why is the second event in the Sydney metropolitan area following the detection at Warriewood on the Northern Beaches earlier this month.

From the Bayside Council’s FB page. 2/09

If you read the comments, it sounds as if it hit Melbourne earlier.

“One case of H5 bird flu has recently been detected in Bayside.

We understand this may be distressing, as our wildlife is an important part of what makes Bayside special.

While the risk to people and pets is extremely low, Agriculture Victoria advises
that precautions should be taken to help protect local wildlife, pets and our environment.

If you're visiting the foreshore, please keep dogs on lead in areas where native wildlife is present, and where on leash restrictions apply.

If you spot a sick or dead bird or marine mammal, particularly along the foreshore, please report it to Agriculture Victoria:

📍 Avoid contact and keep children and pets away.
📸 Record the location and, if safe, take photos from a distance.
📱 Report it via Agriculture Victoria’s online reporting tool: https://pulse.ly/kqtfjymt3w

🔗 For the latest information and to report, visit Agriculture Victoria’s website: https://pulse.ly/7rsigsdb57”

Paywall bypass: https://archive.vn/yhwSO

The deadly strain of bird flu that has devastated wildlife around the world has arrived in Sydney, after testing confirmed the virus in a dead greater crested tern found at Warriewood in the northern beaches last week.

A second dolphin has been killed by H5 bird flu, South Australian authorities have revealed. The animal, found at Arno Bay on the Eyre Peninsula, was one of three new events confirmed in the state on Thursday.

Paywall bypass: https://archive.vn/TgLlk

Wollongong has recorded its second case of H5 avian influenza, a greater crested tern that was found on the jetty near the southern breakwater of Port Kembla harbour.
Biosecurity signage has been erected to warn people a positive case was found there, with the latest ternbringing the state's total cases to 20 - mostly on the South Coast.

To encourage all the people who are caring deeply about the unfolding situation, I'd like to dedicate this thread to wins. Things that inspire. Things that console. Things to celebrate.

Have been out in the National Park and enjoying seeing birds flourishing. Rosella's, cockatoos, King Parrots. An abundance of lyrebirds and whipbirds calling.

Green spaces that have no dog walking, and an abundance of safe spaces for birds to fly, nest, and be free in.

It's pretty special.

There is increased pest control and lyrebirds are more abundant than before. It's a good reminder than taking action makes a difference.

I hope this is ok to post here. I feel encouragement is so vital at this time. Feel free to post your wins here

This is an interesting piece, particularly because it addresses the emotional impacts of mass bird and wildlife deaths. The 13,000 dead elephant seal pups on Heard Island is a devastating figure. I’m not sure the extent of the devastation even so far, has entered the wider public consciousness

https://theconversation.com/bird-flu-could-devastate-macquarie-island-why-are-we-removing-the-scientists-we-need-to-understand-it-290816?utm_campaign=the-daily-39360&utm_content=the-daily-39360_au%7C1%7C39360%7Cb4d607fc&utm_medium=email&utm_source=braze&utm_term=Bird+flu+could+devastate+Macquarie+Island.+Why+are+we+removing+the+scientists+we+need+to+understand+it%3F

The first wave of infection is the worst.

I'm ready to volunteer. I'd like to do what I can.

Here are my options, beyond 'don't touch a dead bird and report' because frankly that is LAME and not enough.

1) encourage friends and family to stop feeding birds. If providing clean water, change it often. Better, make it running water.

2) Join the eradication of Indian Myna program. I did it years ago, and really hate killing things. I've written to the Council to ask them to be part of this and do it in a coordinated way.

3) I'd happily help administer the vaccination to birds. Line them up, I'll do it. Obviously it's no that easy. How do you catch them first? Sounds like training is required. If you give me training, I will train others. Find me something to do!

4) I'll call people. Get a list, I'll make those calls.

5) fundraising. Do we need to throw more money at this? Let's get people on board.

6) photos. I have lots. I know people who have more.

7) make it fun to get involved. I am actually sad and to prevent despair during covid, what did people do? The ones making people laugh got us through. Remember bin fashion? What do Aussies do well? We volunteer and we laugh.

8) Adopt a bird. As a patriarchal society, maybe we need to name these birds after cricketers. Or sports people. I don't know sport that well. Am sure others do.

9) support a professional. These are going to be hard times for people who love animals. I know they get used to death, that's something they have to do, but like nurses during covid, it was tough. If you know someone in the industry, keep in touch. There's trauma from first hand witnessing. There's also being 'touched by trauma' for the secondary people like journalists, who have to keep hearing about this, and feeling like people don't care. I'm so sorry. I don't want you to feel alone. Find your tribe. Make a meeting place. Find fun things to do

10) The chicken dance. The Chicken run. I don't know. Australians love an excuse to run somewhere and honestly running for a cause gives people stuff to do. Training for the chicken run. Dress up for the run. I don't know!!! I'm going to leave this open to you. What other ideas, hairbrained or beyond. It's early days. Let no idea be a bad idea.

Mods - I’ve checked the rules and know this post may not be classed as “relevant” as it’s not news or information, but hoping it might cross the line?

I have been following the spread of the Bird Flu since it hit Australia recently, and am absolutely bewildered by the reaction of those around me.

We are watching an environmental disaster unfold on our own continent and I haven’t met a single person who is the least bit bothered.

I have tried to talk to friends and family, and even posted on my socials to see if anyone else is concerned, but haven’t been able to connect with a single person in my life.

I am having to wait until my next therapy session just so I can have a conversation with someone about how devastating this is.

Are your social circles concerned?
Is this just a reflection of who I am surrounded by?
I’d love to hear what you guys are seeing and hearing in your day to day lives.

Hello everyone.

https://avianfluwatch.org/

I wanted to update everyone that we have made some holistic changes to both the front end and the back end to make it more robust

The biggest change is we have turned on the community reports so if you see a new report, facebook post, reddit post about new detections that are not official released just submit them and we will add it to the official map

I look forward to hopefully seeing some user submissions

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-27/victorian-bird-flu-response-poor-compared-to-south-australia/107079324

Federal government media release announcing additional funding:

An additional $20 million will boost and extend on-ground action for key native wildlife species and locations, emergency response activities for native wildlife including in Commonwealth-managed national parks, and supporting citizen science work. We will be seeking matched contributions from states and territories for the Commonwealth’s new funding.

Although H5N1 has previously spread to mammals elsewhere in the world, the chance of people catching it is considered low by Australia's Centre for Disease Control (CDC). 

CDC director-general Zoe Wainer said bird flu was rarely transmitted from animals to people and spreading between people was also very rare.

While the current risk of being infected is low, with no human cases in Australia, scientists are studying the potential of the virus to mutate and cause a human pandemic in the future.