"SAN DIEGO — Within minutes of walking on a San Diego beach, marine ornithologist Tammy Russell found the feathered carcasses — one after another.

Some were mixed in with washed up kelp. Others were under rocks.

Each month, scientists and volunteers conduct surveys of dead seabirds and find what Russell describes as a grim assessment of the impact of a massive marine heat wave that has lingered for months off parts of the California coast.

The surveys that have been carried out by various organizations for decades help build a baseline of information on beached sea life to detect threats and their impact."

Julie Watson reports for the Associated Press July 1, 2026. [2]