Subject: [Tweeters] Re" Dead Puffins
Date: Feb 24 05:58:33 2005
From: Mike Patterson - celata at pacifier.com


The predator density is, I think, pretty consistent along the
whole coast. Most of the dead birds (including puffins) that
we find on the Oregon coast have been scavenged. They're
missing most of their breast and are also missing internal
stuff. The first puffin I found had been pretty clearly tugged
at be multiple scavengers and the neck skin had been pulled up
over the head.

So, yes they're being scavenged by eagles, tails, harriers,
ravens, crows, gulls, skunks, raccoons.... heck I've even
seen Sanderlings pick at carcasses. But the meals usually
take place on the beach, so unless we invoke some sort of
conspiracy, perhaps the same clandestine group that takes
the left wings and leaves the right wings on the partial
corpses we routinely find.....

on 2/22/05 5:35 PM, Paul Moorehead at pjm AT sos.net wrote:

> Maybe raptor food? Are there more bald eagles along the Washington coast?
>
> Paul
> Guemes, WA


--
Mike Patterson
Astoria, OR
celata at pacifier.com

If you want to end war and stuff, you've got to sing loud
- Arlo Guthrie