The phrase
"common murres" refers to a type of seabirds that are frequently found in large numbers.
Full definition
Watch Tufted Puffins at Haystack Rock through mid-summer and observe crowded colonies
of Common Murres on Bird Rocks off the north end of Cannon Beach.
A breeding colony of
California Common Murres (Uria aalge californica) on Prince Island of San Miguel Island off southern California, photographed July 12, 2011.
Birdwatchers can observe crowded colonies of
common murres on the aptly named «Bird Rocks» off the north end of Cannon Beach and many other varieties of nesting seabirds.
San Miguel Island in the Channel Islands National Park is a prime example of a breeding area that is attractive for the
breeding common murre colony.
Seabirds
called common murres appear to use preening as a way to negotiate whose turn it is to watch their chick and who must find food.
In the waters surrounding the Headlands, harbor seals can be found year - round, gray whales can be seen in the spring and fall, and seabirds such
as common murres and surf scoters swim within sight of shore.
Historically,
common murres nested on Prince Island, but this colony disappeared nearly a century ago, likely a result of human disturbance and egg harvesting.
Common murre eggs are pointed at one end; when pushed, they roll around in a circle, preventing them from rolling off the nesting ledge.
Introduction In July, 2011, researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service discovered that California
common murre chicks had hatched for the first time since 1912 on the Channel Islands.
Common murres dive for sardines, Elephant Seals haul out, and sea birds flock on the rocky islands.
A few other cool highlights on today's trips, as we
watched Common Murres surfacing after dives with Herring in their beaks.
The sounds of a feeding frenzy were all that could be heard as we drifted and spun in the tide currents;
Common Murres gargled and cheeped, the gulls squawked overhead and Humpback Whales exhaled at the surface.
Nesting seabirds,
including Common Murres, Tufted Puffins, Pigeon Guillemots, and Brandt's, and Pelagic and Double - crested Cormorants arrive on coastal rocks and islands for breeding in the spring.
Forecast winds and storms were nowhere to be found in the morning, so we spent some time just cruising through scattered humpbacks feeding with sea lions and
common murres just below the surface.
Next week: Researchers outline theories about how warmer - than - usual ocean temperatures led to the die - off of
common murres in Alaska.
In July, 2011, researchers discovered that a «loomerie» (breeding colony) of the
California common murre (Uria aalge californica) had returned to Prince Island, an islet off San Miguel Island, for the first time since 1912.
Thousands
of common murres can be seen in spring and summer on Bird Rocks near Chapman Point.
Top ten bird sightings according to Senior Field Ornithologist Simon Perkins were: white - faced ibis, California gull, ruff, Lapland longspur, American golden - plover,
common murre, pomarine jaeger, dickcissel, Kentucky warbler, and short - eared owl
Common murres (Uria aalge) lay only one egg each breeding season.
We often encounter a variety of seabirds including, Cassin's Auklets, Scripps's Murrelets,
Common Murres, Rhinoceros Auklets, and Black - vented Shearwaters.
The humpbacks were not the only species in town for the anchovy fest; sea lions, common dolphins, thousands of sooty shearwaters (that made their way here from New Zealand), elegant terns and many other bird species are here to dine on the small schooling fish, with
the common murres being a particular favorite as fathers and their chicks loudly call out to each other.
January 2018 — Georgia Aquarium unveils Puffins, a new North Pacific diving birds habitat, featuring horned and tufted puffins, pigeon guillemots and
common murres.
This month we've also seen Risso's dolphins, long - beaked common dolphins, Mola molas (giant ocean sunfish), Velella velellas (by - the - wind sailors), black - footed albatross, grebes, loons, pigeon guillemots,
common murres, rhinoceros auklets; and of course harbor seals, California sea lions and plenty of sea otters.
They saw many species of marine mammals including gray, blue and humpback whales, elephant seals, sea lions and fur seals, as well as countless numbers of Tufted Puffins and
Common Murres.
The near - shore and offshore rocks along Cannon Beach are part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge and some of nature's greatest seabird displays can be observed including nesting Tufted Puffins and crowded colonies of
Common Murres.
Murres:
Common Murres are the most abundant seabird found on the Oregon Coast and their sheer numbers can be astonishing as they sometimes cover every flat surface of offshore rocks where they nest shoulder - to - shoulder.
Bird Rocks: Walk north to Chapman Point where large offshore rocks known as Bird Rocks are home to a dense colony of
Common Murres that nest here from spring through midsummer.
Chapman Point & Bird Rocks: North of Ecola Creek, the beach reaches north to Chapman Point where large offshore rocks known as Bird Rocks are home to a dense colony of
Common Murres that nest here from spring through midsummer.
Tens of thousands of
common murres can be seen in spring and summer on Bird Rocks near Chapman Point.
The common murre's breeding range on the Pacific Coast is from Alaska south to the Channel Islands National Park in Southern California.
Conservation Status A new colony of
common murres is situated within Channel Islands National Park, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, and the recently designated Harris Point California Marine Protected Area.
Seabird biologists will continue to evaluate the future of
the common murre colony at Prince Island.
Common murres are to be found after breeding season on the open ocean or in large bays.
Today's Sightings: Humpback Whales (Slash, Freethrow, Inukshuk, Guardian, Argonaut, Freckles, Frosty and Mini Wheat), Pacific Harbour Seals, Steller Sea Lions, Bald Eagles, Ancient Murrelets and
Common Murres.
In California,
Common Murres are most abundant off central through northern California, with tens to hundreds of thousands of birds nesting at the Farallon Islands, off Trinidad Head, and at Castle Rock National Wildlife Refuge.
Today's Sightings: Humpback Whales (Frosty, Mini Wheat, Cutter, Ridge, Hunter, Moonstar, Claw, Yahtzee, Quartz, Ashes, Argonaut, Inukshuk, Meniscus, Piza, Sharpie, Blackula and Hilroy), Pacific Harbour Seals, Steller Sea Lions, Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons, Ancient Murrelets, Red - necked Phalaropes, and
Common Murres.
Today's Sightings: Humpback Whales (Claw, Freckles, Meniscus, Conger, Ridge, Moonstar and Slash), Pacific Harbour Seals, Steller Sea Lions, Bald Eagles, Harlequin Ducks, Ancient Murrelets and
Common Murres.
Yahtzee, Conger, Frosty, Mini Wheat, Meniscus, Ridge, Cutter, Inukshuk, Moonstar, Claw, Tangent, Quartz, Freckles, Sharpie and Ripple) Pacific Harbour Seals, Steller Sea Lions, Bald Eagles, Ancient Murrelets, Red - necked Phalaropes, Parasetic Jaeger and
Common Murres.
Today's Sightings: Humpback Whales (Claw, Argonaut, Ashes, Freckles, Meniscus, Piza and Merge), Pacific White - sided Dolphins, Pacific Harbour Seals, Steller Sea Lions, Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons, Ancient Murrelets, Red - necked Phalaropes, and
Common Murres.
Today's Sightings: Humpback Whales (Freckles, Argonaut, Apollo, Hunter, Yahtzee, Cosmo, Meniscus and Ridge) Pacific Harbour Seals, Steller Sea Lions, Bald Eagles, Ancient Murrelets, Red - necked Phalaropes, and
Common Murres.
Today's Sightings: Humpback Whales (Conger, Freckles, Argonaut, Claw, Moonstar, Ridge, Inukshuk, Mini Wheat, Frosty, Sharpie, Bumpy, Black Pearl, Corporal, Cutter, Yahtzee, Meniscus, Piza and more) Dall's Porpoise, Pacific Harbour Seals, Steller Sea Lions, Bald Eagles, Ancient Murrelets, Red - necked Phalaropes, and
Common Murres.
Today's Sightings: Humpback Whales (Ridge, Argonaut, Meniscus, Hunter and Black Pearl), Transient «Bigg's» (mammal - eating) Orca (UK) Pacific Harbour Seals, Steller Sea Lions, Bald Eagles, Ancient Murrelets, Red - necked Phalaropes, and
Common Murres.
Interns are exposed to animal care and training activities primarily with otters (Asian small - clawed otters and southern sea otters), alcids (horned puffins, tufted puffins,
common murres and pigeon guillemots) with some possible exposure to belugas, harbor seals, and African penguins.