Just as the Delaware Valley finds itself blanketed with one of the most significant snowfalls in over a year, another kind of snow is also making headlines – the snow goose that is. That’s because about 200 of this waterfowl species were discovered dead last week in the greater Allentown area not far north of here. The suspected culprit in the deaths of these geese: Avian influenza, or AI, more commonly referred to as the bird flu. Dead birds were recovered from two sites, one in Lower Nazareth Township in Northampton County and another in Upper Macungie Township in Lehigh County. Preliminary in-state testing indicated the presence of highly pathogenic AI, HPAI. While results are yet to be confirmed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) at their National Veterinary Services Laboratories, HPAI is presumed to be the cause of these mortality events. The situation is ongoing as sick wild birds were also observed at both locations. Snow geese at Middle Creek numbering in the thousands. Photo courtesy of Tom Tatum. This coincides with a time when our late waterfowl seasons remain in play. The late season on ducks, sea ducks, coots and mergansers here in our South Zone opened back on Nov. 19, 2024 and runs through Jan. 18. For Canada geese here in our Atlantic Population Zone the late season opened up on Dec. 23, 2024 and runs through Jan. 18 with a 3-goose daily limit. The Atlantic Population Zone season on light geese (snow geese and Ross geese) opened way back on Oct. 1, 2024 and runs through Jan. 25. This is followed by a lengthy conservation season on these birds which runs from Jan. 27 through April 25. This puts goose hunters at risk of crossing paths with infected birds. Nonetheless, the PGC encourages waterfowl hunters to continue participating in the remaining seasons, but they should take precautions while handling and dressing birds. These include wearing nitrile gloves, protective eye wear, and a mask. Following any hunt make a point to practice good hygiene, including washing hands and any clothing used in the process of dressing game that might contain blood or feces. Finally, never handle wildlife that is sick or displaying signs of sickness. Instead, report it to the Game Commission. Those encountering other sick or dead wild birds can report them to the Pennsylvania Game Commission by calling 1-833-PGC-WILD (1-833-742-9453), by emailing  [email protected]  or by using the online  Wildlife Health Survey  tool. Any sick or dead domestic birds should be reported to Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture at 717-772-2852. If you have had contact with sick or dead birds and are not feeling well, contact your primary care physician or the Pennsylvania Department of Health at 877-724-3258. Since the beginning of the U.S. outbreak in January 2022, HPAI has impacted wild and domestic birds in every state. Many of the headlines concerning bird flu focus on domestic poultry and how infected flocks of chickens have to be destroyed and how this impacts the price of eggs. HPAI is particularly contagious and lethal to domestic poultry. HPAI does not appear to significantly impact wild bird populations; however, it does have the potential to significantly affect the commercial poultry industry and international trade. More worrisome headlines trace flu infections to livestock and, in a few cases so far, people. While HPAI can potentially infect humans, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared that the current HPAI outbreak is primarily an animal health issue that poses  low risk  to the health of the general public. Common sense practices will help reduce the risk that you or other humans/animals under your care get sick from wildlife. It’s wild waterfowl and shorebirds that are considered natural reservoirs for avian influenza viruses. While infected birds may shed the virus in their feces and saliva despite appearing healthy, HPAI can lead to sickness or death in raptors (hawks, eagles), avian scavengers (crows, gulls, ravens), other waterfowl species (ducks, geese), and wild poultry (turkey, grouse). Clinical signs of infection in wild birds are often non-specific but may include neurologic dysfunction such as circling, head tilting, and difficulty flying. The Game Commission continues to work with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the USDA, the Wildlife Futures Program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, and the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System to monitor for HPAI in wild and domestic bird populations throughout the Commonwealth. Any additional HPAI detections will be reported by the USDA on its website Because avian influenza viruses are naturally occurring and ever-present in wild birds, preventing or controlling HPAI in wild populations is not feasible. However, safeguards can be taken to protect domestic birds or wild birds held in captivity. Owners should always prevent contact between their birds and wild birds to prevent the spread of disease. Pennsylvanians who care for captive wild birds, domestic backyard poultry, or are involved in commercial poultry operations should review their biosecurity plans to protect their flocks. The USDA offers free biosecurity information on its  website. Always observe wildlife from a safe distance. Avoid contacting surfaces that might be contaminated with feces from wild or domestic birds. Do not handle wildlife unless you are hunting, trapping, or otherwise authorized to do so. More information about Avian Influenza is available through the  Game Commission’s website. Tom Tatum is the outdoors columnist for the MediaNews Group. You can reach him at [email protected].