A few questions I'd be very interested in getting answers to.

1) Confirm this is indeed a juvenile Common Murre.
2) Ideas on why I've only seen one immature among the many hundreds of Common Murre sighted over the past two months.
3) Where are the local breeding colonies?

Please pass this on to anyone you know who might have some answers.

The 'chick' was found among a large mixed flock of Common Murre (75+), gulls (75+), Rhinocerous Auklet (2 - immature?). The area was in-between Birch Bay and Point Roberts about 4 miles out from land. I was first drawn to the chick as it was making 'begging' sounds then seemed to follow around an adult murre.

chick and adult Common Murre https://flic.kr/p/2hbHfb8
just the chick https://flic.kr/p/2hbEDoC

Also seen en route, 4 hours, 30 miles wandering between Birch Bay and Point Roberts were:

Sabine's Gull (1) https://flic.kr/p/2hbEDoC
Common Terns (3) one juvenile, two adults https://flic.kr/p/2hbEDih
Rhinocerous Auklet (3) - all juvenile or at least did not have the breeding 'horn'.

Eric Ellingson

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