This very prompt private reply to my earlier question is being forwarded.
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From: Chris Thompson
Sent: Monday, August 23, 1999 2:17 PM
To: brentr at hawlaw.com
Subject: RE: Murre speciments -Reply

They're starving. I picked up more than 800 in Washington last week. The
only question is whether starving was caused by something else (i.e. a
disease) which I doubt, or whether they died from lack of food. I strongly
suspect the latter. The next question is whether starving was caused by
inability to catch their food OR because there wasn't enough food in the
water to catch (or a combination of the two). I suspect the latter. Murres
bred very successfully at Oregon colonies this year, fledging many, many
more young than in previous years. However, Washington sea water
temperatures are still warm. So, all things considered, the most likely scenario
is that chicks fledged fine, stayed healthy during their early migration into
Washington waters while being fed by parents, and then died when their
parents abandoned them in Washington waters.

Chris Thompson, Ph.D.
Research Scientist
Washington Dept. Fish and Wildlife