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Cassin’s Auklet Wreck

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Cassin's Auklet wreck data as of November 21, 2014.

Cassin’s Auklet wreck data, October 1 – November 21, 2014.

Beginning in late October and continuing through mid November, we've witnessed an uptick in Cassin's Auklets. In collaboration with West Coast beached bird partners Beach Watch (San Francisco - GFNMS) and BeachCOMBERS (Monterey Bay - MBNMS), and British Columbia Beached Bird Survey we know this event extends from Washington State south to Monterey Bay. The highest per kilometer counts occurred in Oregon North (30 Cassin's Auklets per kilometer at McPhillips Beach in Tillamook County). 

Why Cassin's, why now? Cassin's Auklet colonies in British Columbia (75.9% of the North American population) fared well this season with high (the highest?) reproductive output recorded from decades of monitoring. Lots of young-of-the-year out in the Pacific this year! Ocean conditions, may (though we don't have evidence yet) be deteriorating more than normal. Storm activity November 15/16 preceded a wave of beaching - not unusual - the combination of young birds and difficult conditions predictably lead to wrecks, like those we see most years, at the end of a good Common Murre breeding season.
Just two of the 179 birds Patty counted on 12/23 near Neskowin, OR.

Just two of the 179 birds Patty counted on December 23 near Neskowin, OR.

UPDATE: A new wave of Cassin's Auklets hit the coast of Washington and Oregon beginning Sunday, December 21 with up to 100/km on some beaches. These small, fist-sized birds have a dark bill (pale spot at base), dark back and wings, white belly. Fresh specimens show blue-ish feet (3 webbed toes, no hind toe).

What’s Washed In – December 15, 2014

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Hi COASSTers,

Happy Holidays! Hope that all of you are doing well and enjoying this busy time of year. The COASST office is a bit quiet this month, as most of our fantastic 22 interns are off enjoying winter break.  We’re looking forward to having them back in January!

If you’re on the COASST mailing list, keep an eye out for the 2014 COASST Holiday Card, which should be reaching mailboxes sometime soon! If you aren’t on our mailing list and would like to be, just let us know.

Let’s take a look at What’s Washed In recently:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Naknek Beach (AK) 10/08/14 found by Jodi

Wing: 34 cm

One wing leaves us only one option: the wing key (or table)!

Alaska wing key (page 44):
Choose gray (go to Q25), choose dark wingtips with white windows and fingernails: Mew Gull is the only one that fits!

West Coast wing key (page 33):
Choose gray (go to Q10), wingtips contrast, dark-to-black (go to Q12), solid gray except for wingtip (go to Q13):
Mew Gull (LA17)
Ring-billed Gull (LA11)
California Gull (LA9)
Only one of these has a white “knuckle” band across the primaries (from the feather tip, a white-black-white-gray pattern).

West Coast wing table (page 32):
Choose row = extra large (wing chord 33-43cm) and column “gray mantle w/ white linings and black tips.” We’re left with:
Mew Gull (LA17)
Ring-billed Gull (LA11)
California Gull (LA9)
Western Gull (LA5)
Herring Gull (LA15)
Caspian Tern (LA19)

We can eliminate the WEGU, HEGU and CATE (wing chord too large). Now we’re left with MEGU, RBGU and CAGU – only the MEGU has a white “knuckle” band across the primaries (from the feather tip, a white-black-white-gray pattern).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Port Williams (WA) 11/18/14 found by Sandy

Bill: 63 mm
Wing: 33 cm
Tarsus: 71 mm

Alaska foot key (page 34), West Coast foot key (page 22):
Webbed (go to Q2), completely webbed (go to Q3), 4 toes, all webbed: Pouchbills (PB1).

Alaska PB1:
Wing chord is not more than 45cm, so we’re left with one of four cormorants:
Pelagic Cormorant (PB2)
Red-faced Cormorant (PB4)
Double-crested Cormorant (PB6)
Brandt’s Cormorant (rare)
Only one has yellow-orange facial skin: Double-crested Cormorant (DCCO).

West Coast guide PB1:
Bill is less than 10cm (100mm), so we’re left with one of three cormorants:
Brandt’s Cormorant (PB2)
Pelagic Cormorant (PB4)
Double-crested Cormorant (PB6)
Only one has a yellow-orange bill with similar-colored facial skin and throat pouch: Double-crested Cormorant (DCCO).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For those of you who surveyed following the big storm that affected the lower states last week, was your experience like Mike and Chiggers’ at Mosquito and Goodman beaches on December 14th? They found a “wreck” of foam, rope fragments, and plastic bottles (hundreds!).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you seen any interesting fish wash in to your beach? Take a look at this one found by Julia at Cowlitz Bay (WA) on December 7. Duane Stevenson, a NOAA Fish Biologist, verified this to be a lingcod, as Julia suspected (Great job, Julia!). Lingcod are sometimes called “bucketheads” because they have a really large head and a large mouth.  They also have 18 sharp needle-like teeth (shown here in Julia’s photo). Lingcod grow very quickly and reach up to 5 feet in length!

Speaking of fish, Lee and Sue who survey Three Crabs Beach (WA), recently mentioned that a few years ago, they encountered a lancetfish that had washed in. A very cool rare find!

Have you seen something on your beach you’ve always wondered about? Send us a photo!

Cheers,
Erika, Julia, Jane, Hillary, Charlie, Heidi, Jenn, and the COASST Interns

What’s Washed In – December 3, 2014

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Hi COASSTers,

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. Thank you for all of your data over the long weekend and, of course, for all of your staged “turkey on the beach” photos too!

It was great to see some of you at the Olympia and Port Angeles (WA) classroom refresher trainings on the 21st and 22nd. Erika and Heidi really enjoyed it!

Thank you to all of you for hard work, especially during these colder months. It is very appreciated.

Let’s take a look at What’s Washed In recently:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steamboat Rock (CA) 11/15/14 found by Gene and Keith

Wing: 31 cm
Tarsus: 55 mm

Alaska wing key (page 44):
Choose gray (go to Q25), gray wingtips with no windows or fingernails: Northern Fulmar, wahoo!

West Coast wing key (page 33):
Choose gray (go to Q10), gray, same as mantle (go to Q11), uniformly gray: Northern Fulmar – excellent!

West Coast wing table (page 32)
Choose row = large (wing chord 29-32cm) and column “dark upperwing” – no pale/white underwing linings, no primaries outercut. We’re left with:
Northern Fulmar (TN3)
American Crow (PE1)
Parasitic Jaeger (LA25)
Long-tailed Jaeger (LA31)

The jaegers are out – the tarsus of this bird is too long. Crows have “completely black plumage” so we’ll opt for Northern Fulmar.

Natural history notes: Peak beaching for Northern Fulmars in Alaska (where they breed) is July/August. Along the West Coast (where they spend the winter) November/December can be particularly high. In December 2003, COASST participants in Oregon North found an average of 11 fulmars per kilometer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wayside Beach (OR) 11/12/14 found by Janis and Jody

Bill: 65 mm
Wing: 18.5 cm
Tarsus: 74 mm

Alaska foot key (page 34), West Coast foot key (page 22):
Lobed (go to Q14), large foot, single lobes, tarsus>50mm: Grebes.

Alaska participants – stop here – this bird is found farther south.
West Coast guide GR1 – wing chord > 18cm, so we’re down to Clark’s Grebe (GR1), Western Grebe (GR1) or Red-necked Grebe (GR4). RNGR has a much tinier bill and between the CLGR and WEGR, the Western Grebe is the one with the eye surrounded by dark facial plumage.

Natural history notes: Western Grebes also peak on the West Coast a tad later in December/January. Like scoters and loons, Western Grebes breed along lakes in the interior and migrate to the coast during the winter. Concern continues about declining numbers of Western Grebes in Puget Sound – this paper uses Christmas Bird Count data (citizen science!) to look at shifting distributions of Western Grebes along the West Coast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How often are land based vehicles found as marine debris? Only once that we know about on a COASST survey. Marine debris pilot testers Paul and Louise conducted their first survey on 11/13/2014 and found encountered this rusted van on Bishop Beach West. A little ways down the beach, the radiator fan was in their medium debris sample.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take a look at this gumboot chiton that washed in near Cape Mendocino.  This species is the largest of all chitons, growing up to 14 inches in length and weighing over 4.4 pounds! Gumboot chitons inhabit rocky coastlines from California to Alaska, across the Aleutian Islands and south to Japan. What’s unique about this species is that the 8 plates on their body are hidden by their reddish-brown skin, or girdle. The underside is bright orange or yellow, consisting mainly of a large foot. They also have a retractable radula with rows of teeth to help them consume marine vegetation, such as sea lettuce and kelp.

Seen something on the beach you’ve always wondered about? Send us a photo!

Cheers,
Erika, Julia, Jane, Hillary, Charlie, Heidi, Jenn, and the COASST Interns

What determines the path of marine debris through the ocean?

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Physics! A combination of characteristics of the object, and the patterns of wind and ocean currents all play a role in where marine debris moves in the ocean. Why do we care? With two types of information–where debris winds up (on a COASSTER’s beach, for instance) and the influences of the movement of debris–we can determine where the object may have come from. This process can help to determine the sources of what’s washing in on our shores.

If we already know the source of marine debris and its beaching location, it can serve as a sort of “tracking device” or drifter. Following the devastating tsunami that struck Tohoku, Japan in 2011, models have been used to predict the path of the tons of debris that washed out to the ocean. The accuracy of these kinds of predictions depends on real, live information to verify and improve the methods.  COASST’s new marine debris program will collect this kind of data, taking into account the very characteristics of debris that play a part in how the object may move through the water.

Windage

Varying degrees of windage on example floats. Image originally appeared in NOAA Marine Debris documents about Tsunami Debris trajectories. http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/Japan_Tsunami_Marine_Debris_Report.pdf

So how does it work? Ocean currents are important no matter what, but the influence of wind depends on characteristics like size, hollowness, dimensionality (is it flat?), and material (tells us about density). Obviously, hollow and less dense (buoyant) objects are likely to rest higher in the water than solid or heavy objects. The shape and volume of any hollow cavity influence how a floating object is affected by wind. The area of the object that sticks above the water, or “sail area” determines the degree that wind impacts the object’s movement. This is known as “windage”. High windage– where the majority of the object is above the surface of the water–results in an increase of wind force on the sail area, where wind patterns in addition to ocean currents play a role in the path. Just as it sounds, the sail area acts as a sail and catches the air current. Oppositely, the “drag area” is the part of the object that lies below the surface. For objects that are flat or float just below the surface, windage will be very low.

One outcome of drifting debris

Gyre

North pacific Subtropical Convergence Zone, courtesy of wikimedia commons

You may have heard of the North Pacific Gyre (NPG): a slow-moving spiral of converging ocean currents created by a high-pressure system of air currents. Within this convergence zone lies what is known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch; millions of pounds of trash and plastic that extend for miles below and across the surface of the ocean. The massive accumulation of garbage comes from all over and is carried to the NPG by those very currents that converge there. Every piece of plastic that forms the “garbage island” got there by the forces of ocean and air currents. Objects with higher windage, tend not to accumulate in the Garbage Patch, as the wind sends them on their way.

 

What’s Washed In – November 18, 2014

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Hi COASSTers,

Hope that all of you are staying warm on your beaches this month! This past weekend, COASST staff conducted trainings in Washington and Oregon, catching up with many current COASSTers and adding some new COASSTers to the team. It was great to see some of you in Long Beach (WA), Charleston (OR), and Port Orford (OR)!

It’s hard to believe that November is more than halfway over.  As you get ready for your next survey, take a quick look at your supply kit and let us know if you need any additional cable ties, chalk, datasheets, etc.  We’d be happy to send more your way. Also, if you have any completed datasheets sitting around, please send them our way! We can’t wait to see them.

Let’s take a look at What’s Washed In:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buldir Island – B (AK) 6/27/14 found by Alaska Maritime NWR staff

Bill: 14 mm
Wing: 14 cm
Tarsus: 27 mm

Dark underwing, dark heel, orange bill. Let’s check out our options using the wing key.

Alaska wing key (page 44):
You’ll have to trust us on the upperwing, but…
Choose dark (go to Q2), simply dark (go to Q5), underwing linings not white (go to Q9), wing chord less than 35cm (go to Q10), none (go to Q11), wing chord less than 16cm (go to Q12), underwing simply dark. We’re left with:
Marbled Murrelet-MAMU (AL17)
Crested Auklet-CRAU (AL25)
Parakeet Auklet-PAAU (AL23)
The tarsus of this mystery bird is too long for MAMU’s Alaska range (16-21mm). Flipping to the Crested Auklet, measurements fit, but plumage is mostly dark. Not in the similar species section – Parakeet Auklet has a white breast, belly and undertail (all dark plumage for the Crested). See that white bit of fluff between the two wings? Bingo – Parakeet Auklet.

West Coast wing key (page 33):
You’ll have to trust us on the upperwing, but…
Choose dark (go to 2), choose upperwing simply dark (go to Q3), underwing gray-to-dark (go to Q6), underwing simply dark (go to Q7), wing chord less than 17cm (go to Q8), and select underwing simply dark. We’re left with:
Marbled Murrelet-MAMU (AL14)
Parakeet Auklet-PAAU (AL18).
The tarsus of this mystery bird is too long for MAMU’s range West Coast (14-18mm), so Parakeet Auklet it is!

West Coast wing table (page 32)
You’ll have to trust us on the upperwing, but…
Choose row = tiny (wing chord less than 18cm) and column “dark upperwing” – no pale underwing linings. We’re left with:
Marbled Murrelet (AL14)
Leach’s Storm Petrel (TN11)
Fork-tailed Storm Petrel (TN9)
Parakeet Auklet (AL18)
Kittlitz’s Murrelet (AL20)
Crested Auklet (AL22)
Whiskered Auklet (AL26)
Four of these don’t fit because of the tarsus measurement Marbled Murrelet, Leach’s Storm-Petrel, Kittlitz’s Murrelet, Whiskered Auklet.  Of the remaining three, only one has some white plumage (see that tuft between the two wings?) and an orange, upturned bill: Parakeet Auklet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ruby South (WA) 10/10/14 found by Janis and Jody

Bill: 44 mm
Wing: 27 cm
Tarsus: 48 mm

Alaska foot key (page 34), West Coast foot key (page 22):
Webbed (go to Q2), complete (go to Q3), 3 webbed toes 4th free (go to Q5), tarsus less than 1mm across (go to Q6), 4th toe has flap extending to tip of nail­­­­–Waterfowl: Diving Ducks.

Alaska: WF1: Bill with knob or feathers on sides: one of the scoters (WF5, WF9, WF7) or eiders (WF 21, 23, 27). Bill too large for any of the eiders except for the Common Eider. Wing too large for any of the scoters besides the White-winged Scoter. Between Common Eider and White-winged Scoter, measurements fit only one perfectly – dark plumage, white speculum and white eye patch – White-winged Scoter.

West Coast (2013): WF1: Bill with knob or feathers on top or sides – one of the three scoters, and only one has a wing chord that large: White-winged Scoter

West Coast (2002): WF1: White in wing! Feathers or knob on bill: White-winged Scoter or one of the eiders. Only the Common Eider is a contender, but its secondaries are dark (vs white in the White-winged Scoter).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keith and Anita find a lot of interesting “large” debris at OR Mile 460. Although marine debris pilot COASSTers are not yet surveying for objects larger than 50cm, but these two couldn’t help but share several examples of “mortise and tenon” joinery, common to Japanese architecture but also used elsewhere and throughout history. This type of joint involves a mortise hole, several shown here, and a tenon tongue on an adjoining piece, that is inserted into the hole and glued, pinned or wedged in place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Albert and Kathie went on their first marine debris survey on November 14th at Graysmarsh. They didn’t find any debris but did turn up an unusual find: an Ocean Sunfish, also known as Mola mola.

The Mola mola is the largest known bony fish in the world. An average adult individual typically weighs over 2,000 lbs, and they can reach up to 5.9 ft. in body length and 8.2 ft. fin to fin. Sunfish are most often found in temperate and tropical waters that are 50°F or warmer. They are often seen swimming on their sides, basking in the sun at the surface of the water to warm themselves after deep dives. Prolonged periods spent in water colder that 50°F can lead to disorientation and death for the sunfish, which most likely happened to this guy found in the Strait!

Seen something on the beach you’ve always wondered about? Send us a photo!

Cheers,
Erika, Julia, Jane, Hillary, Charlie, Heidi, Jenn, and the COASST Interns

It’s all in the Foot(print)

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On the Long Beach Peninsula last weekend, Jane and students Qi, Summer, Lauren, Angeline and Loren checked out the beaches for birds and marine debris. Expecting to see hundreds of Cassin’s Auklets (a lone Pacific Loon, that’s it) they turned their attention to other beach curiosities. Here’s a look:

Domestic dog print. But wait! How do we know it's not a coyote? Front nails are spread far apart (coyotes nearly touch)

Domestic dog print. But wait! How do we know it’s not a coyote? Two front toes (and nails) are spread far apart (coyotes’ nails nearly touch).

Hoof print; most force on forward (leading) edge.

Hoof print. Most force on forward (leading) edge.

Larid (gull) print. Bird is walking towards the top of the photo.

Larid (gull) print. Bird is walking towards the top of the photo.

Crow foot. Toes are segmented. With fast movement, front nails make drag marks in sand.

American Crow foot. Toes are segmented. With fast movement, nails catch in the sand, extending straight lines from front toes.

Three-toed Shorebird. So tiny!

Three-toed Shorebird. So tiny!

Algae and foam near Ocean Shores

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PresumedAlgaeBloom

Foam observed at Griffith’s Priday State Park (Ocean Shores, WA).

Last weekend, Carl (COASSTer since 2009) documented a few stranded birds (two Western Grebes, one Brandt’s Cormorant) covered in algae at Griffith’s Priday State Park. For COASSTers who witnessed the 2009 Akashiwo sanguinea algal bloom, this raised some concerns that the foam on the beach and the algae visible on the birds might be Akashiwo.

Thanks to the rapid response of partners Raphael Kudela-UCSC, Vera Trainer-Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Anthony Odell-ORHAB Partnership, water samples collected this weekend will be analyzed for the presence of Akashiwo, with results available as early as next week. We’ll relay the results to COASSTers and keep you posted.

What’s Washed In – October 31, 2014

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Hi COASSTers,

Hope all of you had a great October! As we wrap up a month full of trainings, we’d like to send a big welcome to our newly trained COASSTers! Hope all of you are enjoying your first surveys. We’re glad to have you on the team.

A few of you have asked questions about foam on your beaches this week. Last week­end, Carl (COASSTer since 2009) doc­u­mented a few stranded birds (two West­ern Grebes, one Brandt’s Cor­morant) cov­ered in algae at Griffith’s Pri­day State Park. For COASSTers who wit­nessed the 2009 Akashiwo san­guinea algal bloom, this raised some con­cerns that the foam on the beach and the algae vis­i­ble on the birds might be Akashiwo. Check out the COASST blog for a photo of what Carl noticed.

Thanks to the rapid response part­ners Raphael Kudela-UCSC, Vera Trainer-Northwest Fish­eries Sci­ence Cen­ter, Anthony Odell-ORHAB Part­ner­ship, water sam­ples col­lected this week­end will be ana­lyzed for the pres­ence of Akashiwo, with results avail­able as early as next week. We’ll relay the results to COASSTers and keep you posted.

Thanks so much to all of you for all of your hard work this month! We really appreciate everything you do and look forward to seeing your datasheets and photos.

Let’s take a look at What’s Washed In recently:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bill: 20 mm, Wing: 12 cm, Tarsus: 25 mm

The Oregon Coast was flooded with these this week – “small birds with blue feet” – here’s one found by Laura and Caren at Roads End in Oregon.

Alaska foot key (page 34), West Coast foot key (page 22): webbed (go to Q2), completely webbed (go to Q3), 3 toes all webbed (go to Q4), tarsus <50mm, small foot – Alcids.

Page AL1: Wing chord <15cm  = Small Alcids. Bill color dark with pale spot at base (look carefully!) – Cassin’s Auklet (WC: AL 8-9, or AK: AL21-22)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bill: 50 mm, Wing: 42 cm, Tarsus: 73 mm

This bird was found by Don and Grace at South Spit in California on October 1st.

Alaska wing key (page 44):
Choose dark (go to Q2), dark (go to Q5), linings dark (go to Q9), primaries outercut, excluding outermost primary. Only one species fits – Greater White-fronted Goose – rare in Alaska.

West Coast wing key (page 33):
Choose dark (go to Q2), two or more thin white strips – Canada Goose or Greater White-fronted Goose. Canada Goose (WF19) has black feet – must be a Greater White-fronted.
OR
Choose mottled (go to Q14), choose mottling throughout (go to Q15), choose gray-to-dark underwing linings – Canada Goose or Greater White-fronted Goose. Canada Goose (WF19) has black feet – must be a Greater White-fronted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marlene, one of our intrepid marine debris pilot testers, found this item. It is marked with “sweetheart” a cross, a couple of other unusual markings, and is just shy of 6cm in diameter. Anyone out there have a suggestion?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take a look at this gray whale that Candace found at Otter Point on October 15th. This whale is covered in barnacles and surrounded by footprints from all sorts of scavengers – birds, dogs, and maybe a few mustelids! You can also see rows of white baleen plates, used by gray whales to filter amphipods and other organisms out from the gulps of mud they take in while feeding.

Seen something on the beach you’ve always wondered about? Send us a photo!

Cheers,
Erika, Julia, Jane, Hillary, Charlie, Heidi, Jenn, and the COASST Interns

What’s Washed In – October 17, 2014

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Hi COASSTers,

Hope that all of you are enjoying the beautiful fall weather! It’s been a great month at COASST, and we’re looking forward to seeing many of you over the next 2 weeks with trainings in Alaska, Washington, and Oregon.

Have you had any rainy surveys lately? If so, now is a great time to check on your kit supplies. Let us know if you need more “rite in the rain” datasheets, additional cable ties, chalk, etc.  We’re happy to help!

We’ve had some great photos come in to the COASST office recently.

Let’s take a look at What’s Washed In:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bill: 42 mm, Wing: 29 cm, Tarsus: 58 mm

Ken and Cathy found this bird on September 14 at Horsefall South in Oregon.

Here we have a black bill with tube (some of us know where to go already), but let’s use the wing as a guide.

Alaska wing key (page 44): choose dark (go to Q2), choose simply dark (go to Q5). Underwing linings are white (go to Q6), wing chord is option two – 24-40cm (go to Q7).  With this wing chord and some gray feathers on the leading edge, dark primaries and secondaries, we’re left with two choices:
1) Sooty Shearwater-SOSH (TN7)
2) Short-tailed Shearwater-STSH (TN5)
Bill length is the clincher for telling these two species apart – Sooty Shearwater!

West coast wing key (page 33): choose dark (go to Q2), choose simply dark (go to Q3), choose uninterrupted area of bright white (go to Q4), wing chord 24-40cm (go to Q5), white centrally on the underwing, bordered by gray, so we’re left with:
1) Sooty Shearwater-SOSH (TN5)
2) Short-tailed Shearwater-STSH (TN7)
Bill is diagnostic – must be a Sooty Shearwater.

West coast wing table (page 32): Select “large” row and “dark upperwing” column, specifically “dark upperwing with white linings.” Two species to choose from:
1) Sooty Shearwater (TN5)
2) Pacific Loon (LO2)
All the measurements fit for a Sooty Shearwater, but let’s look at the PALO profile. Oops – tarsus doesn’t fit and bill is not hooked – Sooty Shearwater it is!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bill: 64 mm, Wing: 41.5 cm,Tarsus: 83mm

This bird was found at Cape Lisburne in Alaska on July 31 by Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Staff (just returning from an eventful field season).

This species is only included in the Alaska wing key (page 44): choose “white-to-nearly-white” mantle. Yes! Only three choices: Ivory Gull (nope – wing chord too small), Glaucous Gull Immature (yep!), Swans (nope – wing chord too big). GLGU – congrats!

Cape Lisburne is the northernmost part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Check out this video of the remote islands monitored by refuge staff.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tarsus: 38.5 mm (bill and wing not measurable)

This bird was found by University of Washington Marine Biology students at South Ocean on October 12.

Start with the foot key (Alaska: p34, West Coast p22): webbed (go to Q2), completely webbed (go to Q3), 3 webbed toes (go to Q4), foot way less than 50mm – Alcid. We’re a little stuck on the family page since we don’t have a wing, but at least our first list includes:
West Coast: Common Murre (AL2), Pigeon Guillemot (AL10) – and we can eliminate a slough of other Alcids with dark bills since their tarsus measurement is way short.
Alaska: Common Murre (AL3), Thick-billed Murre (AL5), Pigeon Guillemot (AL7), Black Guillemot (AL7). Same here  – we can eliminate a bunch of the small Alcids with dark bills – tarsus measurement too short.
Upperwing (middle of photo) and foot (lower left) are all dark – Common Murre.

Importantly, this bird is entangled (marked as “L” for line on the datasheet), a relatively rare occurrence (1/200 birds, or 0.5%). This marks the 35th entangled bird since the start of 2014 (or 1.4% of new birds in 2014), a number elevated by a single survey at Slip Point (WA) where Janet found 20 birds (mostly Sooty Shearwaters) washed up in a net.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During his marine debris survey at Old Mill Park in Washington on October 12, Lee found this silica gel pack. It has a couple of great examples of symbols that can be recognized internationally as potentially hazardous to human health. COASST is keeping track of such information to better understand the amount and type of hazardous materials among debris objects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gene and Keith found this abalone at Shipwreck Point South in California on September 25.

Abalones move relatively short distances over their lives and attach themselves to rocks, waiting for kelp and other algae to drift by. Using their large foot, abalone anchor themselves and also grab onto food. Once they have a piece of algae, they can then use their radula, a tongue like organ lined with small rows of teeth, to break it down into smaller pieces.

Here the holdfast of the bull kelp is attached to the shell of the abalone. It’s hard to say who is winning!

Seen something on the beach you’ve always wondered about? Send us a photo!

Cheers,
Erika, Julia, Jane, Hillary, Charlie, Heidi, Jenn, and the COASST Interns

What’s Washed In – October 8, 2014

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Hi COASSTers,

We’re excited to introduce our new e-newsletter! With this format, you can easily view the images sent in by your fellow COASSTers either in the message itself or in your web browser. You’ll also be able to manage your subscription (see link at the bottom). As this is the very first edition in this format, please let us know if you have any feedback.

In the past few weeks, we’ve had reports of Common Murres in Oregon with signs of avian pox. While rare (perhaps 1-5% of carcasses), this is something to note in the bird comments field if found.

We asked Dr. Julia Burco, Wildlife Veterinarian for Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife some frequently asked questions about avian pox. Let us know if you have any other questions.

Q: What does avian pox look like?
A: Avian pox takes on two forms: 1) dry: wart-like growths around unfeathered areas like the beak, eyes, legs and feet 2) wet: found in the mouth/throat

Q: Is avian pox transmittable to humans?
A: No, this is not a virus that can affect humans.

Q: How do I document avian pox?
A: Take additional photos of the face/legs in cases where pox is suspected, note in the COMMENTS section for that bird.

We hope that you’re all enjoying the start of the fall season!

Let’s take a look at What’s Washed In recently:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bill: 61 mm, Wing: 38 cm, Tarsus: 75 mm

This bird was found on September 3 at Hippy Cove in Alaska by Pat and Susan. The bill is pale and hooked with a dark tip, and we don’t have a good view of the foot – let’s use the wing.

Alaska wing key (page 44): choose mottled mantle (go to Q29), choose mottling throughout (go to Q30). Okay! With this wing chord, we’re left with these choices:
1) Mew Gull (LA12 – but bill and tarsus are too large for this species)
2) Large Immature Gull (LA4 – sounds about right!)
3) Emperor Goose (no species page in guide, but bill is hooked, so let’s take this out of the running). Large Immature Gull – specifically Glaucous-winged Gull, subadult (light brown mottled feathers mixed with gray, wing tips gray).

West coast wing key (page 33): choose mottled mantle (go to Q14), choose mottling throughout (go to Q15), we’re left with:
1) a goose: Snow Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose or Canada Goose (WF19) – but none of these have a hooked bill
2) Large Immature Gull (LA3) –that’s correct. Specifically a Glaucous-winged Gull, subadult  (light brown mottled feathers mixed with gray, wing tips gray).

West coast wing table (page 32): Select “extra large” row and “mottled brown mantle” column, which leaves us with:
1) Large Immature Gull (LA3) – possible…
2) South Polar Skua (LA29) – no, has dark wing with white upperwing patch
3) Pomarine Jaeger (LA27) – no, has dark wing with bright white primary shafts
4) Heermann’s Gull juvenile (LA21) – no, has dark wing with red/orange bill base
Large Immature Gull (LIGU) it is, specifically Glaucous-winged Gull, subadult (light brown mottled feathers mixed with gray, wing tips gray)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wing: 19 cm

This bird was found on September 23 on North Pebble Beach in California by Melissa.

West coast wing key (page 33): choose white patch(es) (go to Q19), check location – it’s on the mantle – Pigeon Guillemot, AL10.

West coast wing table (page 32): select “small” row and “patch/speculum” column, which leaves us with: PIGU (AL10) or GWTE (WF7). Green-winged Teal has a green speculum, no patch, so Pigeon Guillemot it is!

Alaska wing key (page 44): choose “w/ light or dark speculum and/or one of more white patches” (go to Q17), white patch(es), no speculum (go to Q21), underwing linings light gray to dark (go to Q22), one large patch on mantle – Pigeon Guillemot, AL7.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gooseneck barnacles (Lepas spp.) are associated with marine debris that floats in the open ocean. This type of biofouling can indicate how long an object has been in the water and provides clues to where it may have come from. Barnacles also tell us something about the fate of plastic in the ocean. Research by Miriam Goldstein (UC San Diego-Scripps Institution of Oceanography) and Deborah Goodwin (Sea Education Association) found that 33.5% of Gooseneck barnacles on debris found in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre had plastic particles in their digestive tracts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anita was out early on the morning of September 16 at Oregon Mile 286 enjoying a beach walk (just a walk, not a COASST walk), when she saw this carcass washing ashore. Once you’re a COASSTer, you do tend to see things you might have overlooked…

Tiny dorsal (back) fin, mottled skin, white gill rakers (filter-feeding function, like baleen) – turns out this is a basking shark, confirmed by Oregon Marine Mammal Stranding Network Coordinator Jim Rice.

Seen something on the beach you’ve always wondered about? Send us a photo!

Cheers,
Erika, Julia, Jane, Hillary, Charlie, Heidi, Jenn, and the COASST interns