Hi folks,

Regarding the annual die-off of murre chicks is evident to beach walkers, I cannot remember a year of good murre chick production that is not attended by this die-off. El Nino years, La Nina years or any years in-between. August is often the time that the "Spring/Summer" upwelling begins to shut down, warm water comes near the shore, and the murre's prey species leave, die, or scatter. The fledgling murre follows 'Dad' until, starving and weakened, it washes through the surf to die alone on the beach, and is ultimately scavenged by the Western/Glaucous-winged gulls and *their* fledglings.

Jon. Anderson
Olympia, Washington
festuca at olywa.net