Hi -
It appears that a herring spawn event may be beginning at the South Jetty of
Yaquina Bay. The past 2 years these events have been incredible spectacles
involving over 1000 birds.
The sequence was as follows:
1. Adult Pacific Herring are present in the bay but mostly are staying in deep
water (dredged channel. etc.)
2. Herring move into shallows, attract attention of pinnipeds, fish-eating
birds.
3. Herring spawn in shallows, (one-two days), dropping eggs on seaweed,
eelgrass, jetty rocks. Heavy predation by birds, Sea Lions.
4. Adult herring depart, eggs attract large numbers of sea ducks, who feed for
10-15 days: Scoters, Buffleheads, Long-tailed Ducks, goldeneyes, scaup. Gulls
scavenge clumps of eggs brought to surface by ducks, and get some eggs off
rocks at low tide.
Anyway, I have been seeing bird activity indicative of herring in deeper water
for several days. Yesterday and today a group of up to 120 sea ducks has been
near the rocks along the road near the red gate. Today Sea Lions were very
active on the flats west of the first finger (groin), and I think were chasing
herring. So I think spawning may happen tonight or tomorrow. So far, it appears
fewer fish may be present than last year.
This is also happening about 1 week earlier than last year.
Last year two additional spawning events happened further up the bay at
intervals of 10 - 14 days, but were not as convenient to observe.
Wayne
