Gulf oil spill: American Bird Conservancy maps the risk areas

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

As stiff winds hampered cleanup efforts Sunday, officials began turning their attention to the Mississippi, Alabama and Florida coastlines as possible landfalls for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill that has been accumulating since the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig sunk April 22.

A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration projection map shows potential landfalls along the eastern reaches of Louisiana by Monday, with the slick still about 30 miles from barrier islands elsewhere in the gulf.

Among the species under threat: terns, egrets, plovers, brown pelicans, oystercatchers, skimmers and ibis, according to the conservancy. In addition, sea turtles preparing for nesting season are at risk.

-- Geoff Mohan