A dead duck recently was found in Chautauqua Lake. Submitted photo

CELORON — With the Fourth of July coming, it’s a good bet many tourists and visitors may descend upon Chautauqua Lake to enjoy the holiday.

Whether on shore or on water, some Celoron residents want to make sure people are safe – from the dead ducks.

Recently, the dead ducks were found in the Longview Avenue neighborhood of Burtis Bay in the southern basin of the lake, and Karen Rine doesn’t know if the ducks died there or somewhere else on the lake, and what was the cause of their deaths.

Rine contacted Region 9 of the New York State Department of Conservation in Buffalo, but was told, by DEC officials, it could be Avian Flu or botulism.

Peggy Newell, another Longview neighborhood resident, said the DEC did confirm it was Avian Flu, but she was told, there is nothing officials can do about it.

“It has to run its course,” DEC officials told Peggy Newell. “Just stay away from them (ducks). You shouldn’t be touching them.”

DEC Assistant Public Information Officer TJ Pignataro said wildlife staff are investigating several reports of dead birds, mainly waterfowl, found in the Celoron area of Chautauqua Lake over the past week.

“Staff have collected a sample of the birds and are awaiting pathology results. Please contact the New York State Department of Health for information about swimming and water safety,” Pignataro noted.

Mike Newell said it was ironic that DEC officials told him that it was too hot to send a DEC worker to come and collect animals, and that the DEC was short staffed.

“They (DEC officials) said there were confirmed cases, but they didn’t say how long ago. Was it last summer? Was it this spring? They didn’t really say,” said Cathie Kasperek, another Longview resident.

Kasperek added the DEC collected some ducks, but said ducks were “not in the best shape,” and can’t be used for testing. DEC Official Michael Campbell said a “fresh” duck is needed for testing, Kasperek said.

Rine said that she wants the DEC to notify the public about the dead ducks.

“Algal blooms, we get a toxic thing (notice) that says ‘stay out of the water.’ Interesting that Region 9 is regulating and adding wetlands to our area, but when the health of birds and residents on Chautauqua Lake is jeopardized, the DEC has no interest in dealing with dead Mallard Ducks or notifying the public of implications of bird flu for Chautauqua Lake users or for the raptors in the area,” Rine added.