tweets -

Just wanted to add to the auklet discussion from a novice alcid-watchers
point of view (lifer Rhino. Auklet was on my recent Ocean Shores trip). The
auklets with beakfulls of fish flying in and out of the inlet at Ocean
Shores were certainly a novelty and something that took me a while to figure
out (Mark Moon probably mentioned it at some point while we were watching).
I'm not sure what I thought at first but it was a while before the light
came on. When I read the "drooping tufts around the bill" description the
first thing that came to mind was auklet w/ a load of fish (Sandlance?)
hanging out of its beak. Still amazes me that they can catch multiple fish
and then haul them miles to their nest sites. Presumably puffins & other
auks do this as well.

thanks, Charles.

---
Charles Swift
charless at moscow.com
Moscow, Idaho