Dying seabirds
WHAT: CoastWatch volunteers and other people who monitor beaches on the Oregon Coast have noticed an unusual number of dead rhinoceros auklets. These small seabirds typically live way offshore, diving to catch small fish for food. They tend to breed in offshore island colonies by digging burrows in the ground for nests. Coastal Obervation and Seabird Survey Team reports have estimated as many as 20 to 30 auklets washed up per mile on Oregon beaches over the past two weeks.