What you are describing sounds very much like a transitional MARBLED
MURRELET. Alan Contreras reports seeing several Marbleds matching
the description you give at Boiler Bay on the Central Oregon Coast.

"Off the point at Boiler Bay we saw three Marbled Murrelets (one very
black and white, two halfway between "chocolate auklet" ...."

Relative to the survey, you can report them a "alcid sp." if you are
certain that they belong in that group, but uncertain to species.

>
>The birds were murrelet sized, pointed beak, very dark on the back with no
>other markings. The color of their back would be similar to the color of
>dark chocolate. On their underside the color was almost snow white and it
>extended to the gape line of their bill. I could not see if there were any
>eye line or rings. The bill was completely black. Any suggestions?
>



--
********************************* I am but mad north-north-west;
* Mike Patterson, Astoria, OR * when the wind is southerly,
* mpatters at orednet.org * I know a hawk froma handsaw.
http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters -ws