An air carrier DHC8 captain wants the ASRS to know about the bird activity at tlh.

Attributes
ACN	369042
Time
Date	199705
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tlh
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing : go around landing other
Route In Use	arrival other departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 280 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	369042
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

I wish to bring to the attention of NASA a very serious bird hazard at tlh. I already have brought it to the attention of the tower, and the problem hasn't been rectified. There is a sewage treatment plant 1/2 mi southeast of runway 27. This attracts a small white bird (type unknown). Also, refuse is distributed on the airport grounds (treatment residue). This also attracts bird flocks that loiter near the windsock on the north side of runway 27. This is right near the rotation point of our aircraft. 2 weeks ago, we had to execute a go around due to a flock of 150 birds traversing the approach end of runway 27. We landed runway 36 thereafter. Some days, no birds are present. Problem seems to be erratic. Tower will not even broadcast a bird advisory on the ATIS! They can see when birds are present midfield, a bird strike/abort by our company aircraft is only a matter of time! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter flies the DHC8 for an air carrier. He believes that the ATCT 'plays dumb about its bird problem,' that the ATCT 'is in denial.' the reporter is not sure of the bird type, but they may be mostly egrets, possibly gulls. Tlh never publishes a bird caution on the ATIS nor on NOTAMS. The reporter is now aware of the FAA safety hotline.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR DHC8 CAPT WANTS THE ASRS TO KNOW ABOUT THE BIRD ACTIVITY AT TLH.

Narrative: I WISH TO BRING TO THE ATTN OF NASA A VERY SERIOUS BIRD HAZARD AT TLH. I ALREADY HAVE BROUGHT IT TO THE ATTN OF THE TWR, AND THE PROB HASN'T BEEN RECTIFIED. THERE IS A SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT 1/2 MI SE OF RWY 27. THIS ATTRACTS A SMALL WHITE BIRD (TYPE UNKNOWN). ALSO, REFUSE IS DISTRIBUTED ON THE ARPT GNDS (TREATMENT RESIDUE). THIS ALSO ATTRACTS BIRD FLOCKS THAT LOITER NEAR THE WINDSOCK ON THE N SIDE OF RWY 27. THIS IS RIGHT NEAR THE ROTATION POINT OF OUR ACFT. 2 WKS AGO, WE HAD TO EXECUTE A GAR DUE TO A FLOCK OF 150 BIRDS TRAVERSING THE APCH END OF RWY 27. WE LANDED RWY 36 THEREAFTER. SOME DAYS, NO BIRDS ARE PRESENT. PROB SEEMS TO BE ERRATIC. TWR WILL NOT EVEN BROADCAST A BIRD ADVISORY ON THE ATIS! THEY CAN SEE WHEN BIRDS ARE PRESENT MIDFIELD, A BIRD STRIKE/ABORT BY OUR COMPANY ACFT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES THE DHC8 FOR AN ACR. HE BELIEVES THAT THE ATCT 'PLAYS DUMB ABOUT ITS BIRD PROB,' THAT THE ATCT 'IS IN DENIAL.' THE RPTR IS NOT SURE OF THE BIRD TYPE, BUT THEY MAY BE MOSTLY EGRETS, POSSIBLY GULLS. TLH NEVER PUBLISHES A BIRD CAUTION ON THE ATIS NOR ON NOTAMS. THE RPTR IS NOW AWARE OF THE FAA SAFETY HOTLINE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.