Eggs and Orcas

Hi All,

The murre colony at Heceta Head has been continuously frightened off of the nesting rocks by predators. By early afternoons the birds were usually back in the water and we wondered if any would lay eggs.

This morning as we hiked up to the lighthouse we found two broken murre eggs. Probably stolen by a gull, but at least the birds were laying eggs.

We kept the shells to show visitors how murre eggs have evolved to accommodate their life style. Since the birds lay eggs on flat rocks where they are vulnerable to rolling off the edge, their eggs have evolved cone shapes so they roll in a circle. Since the murre colonies are so dense, up to to 6 birds per square foot, the birds lay eggs of different colors and spot patterns so each pair can identify their egg. 

Different colors and spots ensure they incubate the right egg

Today many birds stayed up on the rocks although many more were in the water.

Through the scope we spotted this murre incubating an egg you can barely see under the bird. Sadly, a few minutes later, the murre was frightened off the rock and a gull stole the egg.

The egg shells were great for Sandy's show and tell with this group of 72 school kids after Dennis told them about the lighthouse.

Mid afternoon an Orca sighting added to the day's excitement. We caught a brief glimpse of a female and three juveniles swimming north. They passed too quickly for photos or a better estimate of the pod size.

We are really loving it here!!

Love 
Sandy & Carl

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone