If these were plastic twist ties, they were probably attached to bird
found dead on the beach. USFW is monitoring murre deaths on the Oregon
and Washington Coast as part of ENSO effect monitoring effort. The ties
keep surveyors from counting the same bird twice.


>
> While vacationing at Moclips Beach over the 4th of July weekend I came
>across approximately 10-12 dead common murres that had bright colored
>plastic ties secured through their nostrils. One had it attached to the
>wing. They were of various colors but no writing on them--some had 2
>through their nostrils. There was one that was untagged. This seemed to
>me to be a strange way of marking birds, if not uncomfortable.
>
>Any explanations?
>
>Linda Bartlett
>Renton, WA
>llbart at scn.org
>
>
>
>

--
*********************************** I got the blues so bad one time
* Mike Patterson, Astoria, OR * it put my face in a permanent frown
* mpatters at orednet.org * but I am feelin' so much better
http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters I could cake-walk into town