Oil slicks are nothing to write off right away but one spill in Michigan’s Mackinac Straits area turned out to be a massive gathering of tens of thousands of ducks and other aquatic birds.
On December 21, 2022, the Mackinac Bridge Authority started to receive calls from concerned divers about a potential oil spill in the area. As the “spill” grew in size, more calls came into the office, which caused the authorities to investigate.
The black mass actually turned out to be a record-setting gathering of Redhead ducks. Authorities counted around 7,000 at first but that number has since grown to several tens of thousands of birds. A Michigan bird watcher estimated that the number is around 25,000 and growing as the ducks prepare to migrate to the Gulf of Mexico for the winter.
For concerned residents, the ducks aren’t expected to stay together for too long. As soon as the ice hits, they will most likely start flying toward Mexico. “If you’re surrounded by a couple of thousand other ones like you, your odds are pretty good that you’re gonna get away if an eagle comes out here,” bird counter Steve Baker said.