[obol] Fwd: Yaquina Head Common Murre Nesting Update by OSU Seabird Observation Lab

From: Range Bayer <range.bayer@xxxxxxxxx>
To: Oregon Birders OnLine <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Lincoln Co. Birding & Nature Observing" <LCBNO@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 17:09:05 -0700

--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Suryan, Rob <rob.suryan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, Jul 28, 2014 at 5:02 PM
Subject: Yaquina Head murre update
To: [many]

Update from Lucila,

Hi all,

Unfortunately, this has not been the most successful breeding season
the common murres at Yaquina Head. The sub-colony on Flat Top Rock
collapsed as of July 11th; since then lab members consistently see
that rock vacated because of bald eagle disturbances and gulls. On
Colony Rock, chicks hatched in two plots located on the most southern
regions of the rock. Of the chicks that hatched within our plots, 27
have already made it to fledging age (15 days from the first time the
chick was sighted), with several due to fledge anytime now. Murre
chicks fledge in the late evening and nighttime to avoid predators
active during the day. The adult male will swim below the rock and
loudly beckon for the chick to jump off the ledge. If you're patient
and lucky, you can see the chicks departing the colony if you watch
the viewing decks below the lighthouse.

We are walking Cobble Beach and Agate Beach in search of common murre
chick and adult carcasses that wash up on shore. The lab collects
fresh carcasses for dietary stable isotope analysis to compliment the
observational data identifying prey species consumed.  Thus far only
one chick and adult have been collected from Cobble Beach.

A total of three activity watches have taken place to observe chick
feeding rate on Colony Rock. These surveys are from sunrise to sundown
and closely monitor 10-12 nests and provide an indication of relative
prey availability. Observers record when the adults leave and return
to the nest, if the pair of adults exchange positions between foraging
and guarding the chick, and when the chick is being fed. A higher
feeding rate indicates that prey is more accessible to the birds.
Tomorrow (July 29th) will be the last activity watch of the season.
Come by the lighthouse observation deck to see what it's all about!

SOL is grateful for the support of the many volunteers and Research
Experience Undergraduate interns who withstood the cold, fog, and rain
to assist in our observations.

Bird on!
Lucila Fernandez
Ian Throckmorton
Jessica Porquez
Alessandra Jimenez-Yap
Amanda Gladics
Rob Suryan

[HMSC Seabird Observation Lab (SOL) page about murre nesting is at
http://hmsc.oregonstate.edu/seabirdoceanographylab/seabird-tracking-and-prey-patch-dynamics
]

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[obol] Fwd: Yaquina Head Common Murre Nesting Update by OSU Seabird Observation Lab

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