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When I got to Haystack Rock an hour before low tide this morning, the "big colony of murres nesting on one of the needles" wasn't there at all. An hour and a half after low tide they still weren't on the needle. But some time after the tide started to come in, we saw these huge groups of murres flying around over the ocean by the rock. This is a small snippet of one.
By the way, Paul Rentz called to my attention this situation re murres per the 2013 article - it didn't look to me like there was a purged colony on the needle (not enough bird poop yet for one thing) but I sure hope that everything is O.K. with them. today.oregonstate.edu/archives/2013/aug/bald-eagles-incre... He also said "I was at a talk about this situation and they think that when the Bald Eagles were common years ago, the Murre's wouldn't leave when an eagle came in, they knew one of them was 'going to get it' but their numbers would protect them from the other birds- it's like they forgot how to survive those attacks."
So I'm watching and photographing this bunch of guillemots swimming and interacting around the base of Haystack Rock, and I notice one of them is really flapping its wings, so I take a few shots that way and keep looking (since camera was in hands, didn't want to stop and pick up binocs). The guy next to me (with a much better camera/viewing apparatus) says "Well, we just experienced a bit of nature." I look with the binoculars, there are two birds. HM.
(It's sweet, they touched beaks some before they got really busy.) (According to this Washington state web site, they mate for life, also: www2.whidbey.net/pigeonguillemot/what_is.htm) (and for the biologically inquisitive, www.10000birds.com/do-birds-have-penises.htm )
Spent some time this weekend at the coast, stopping at Cape Kiwanda for the Dory Days celebration. I don't think I've ever shared the beach with so many people.
Found this guy just waiting for the tide to start rising again. He was a very popular attraction at the beach.
Single exposure, 18-200 Nikor lens @50mm, F11 for 1/500 second, ISO 200. PL filter.
Sitting on a log waiting for the colorful sunset that never happened, I Couldn't Not grab a few exposures. I didn't want to, but could not resist. This is one of them.
Had heard on the local news that the puffins had arrived for their nesting. Took off for the coast to search for views and shots on one of their favorite nesting rocks. The news was there, people with telescopic equipment, and many of us with our cameras. Only 3 spotted among the grasses. Left south for the Newport Aquarium instead.
It won't be a surprise to you Oregonians but I was very surprised to see there is more than one Haystack Rock. This is one of them at sunrise in Pacific City at Cape Kiwanda.
Famous for Haystack Rock towering 235 feet from the edge of the shoreline, long sandy stretches of beach and beautiful State Parks nearby, Cannon Beach offers an exceptional Oregon Coast experience.
A walk along the beach is a visual treat, with ever-changing vistas of ocean, mountains and rugged coastal outcroppings including Haystack Rock, a National Wildlife Refuge where visitors will discover colorful tide pools and nesting seabirds including Tufted Puffins.
Just minutes from downtown Cannon Beach is Ecola State Park, perched dramatically on the edge of a headland and offering panoramic coastal views, easy walking paths to scenic picnic areas and extensive hiking trails.
The picturesque small-town village by the sea is easily walkable and visitors can explore meandering pathways, enjoy public art and courtyards spilling over with flowers. Known as one of the Northwest’s top art towns, Cannon Beach is filled with art galleries, specialty shops, cafes and fine dining restaurants. Visitors can watch glassblowers at work in their studio or attend year-round live theater performances.
A wide selection of luxurious oceanfront lodgings overlook this remarkable stretch of coastline, putting visitors just steps from scenic wonders and minutes from outstanding recreation areas and exceptional Oregon Coast sightseeing.
visittheoregoncoast.com/cities/cannon-beach/
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Thank-you for your visit!
I really appreciate it!
Sonja :)
Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach, low tide, seen from south. Note all the people at the foot of the rock, they're checking out the tide pools as well as the birds roosting on the rock. There was a rope stretched around the bottom to persuade people not to (say) start climbing, also the occasional person from Audubon Society or similar keeping watch. According to the lady there when we were there, tufted puffins do nest on the rock (strictly the reason for the visit) but they tend to tuck themselves into their burrows mid-day, and she hadn't seen any since before 11:00 (this was at 11:30). I might have seen a fly-by but tufted puffin viewing fail. However there were a bunch of pelagic cormorants (nesting, I think) and (of course) Western Gulls up there, and other interesting bird fly-bys, and well a beautiful day. Hardly got to notice the tide pools, perhaps a different trip. (I did get some pix of the pelagic cormorants in their nests, but nothing that was artistic. Just enough to be certain they were, in fact, pelagic cormorants, esp since one was fluffing itself/preening and demonstrated the white flank patches. Wasn't quite sure if they were in fact raising chicks, I did see something at the feet of one of them that could have been a chick. Or a snack. It was way up there.)
Photo was taken by our son.
To see all of the photos organized into sets, please click on the following:
Pacific City to Newport. 50 miles with one grueling painful climb due to a missed turn. But a wonderful sunny day otherwise.
Another shot from my night out at the beach while looking for Aurora Borealis. This was taken at 3:30 AM.
When I got to Haystack Rock an hour before low tide this morning, the "big colony of murres nesting on one of the needles" wasn't there at all. An hour and a half after low tide they still weren't on the needle. But some time after the tide started to come in, we saw these huge groups of murres flying around, over the ocean by the rock. Here is a good chunk of one such group taken right after 9795.) You can see the decommissioned Tillamook Head Lighthouse a.k.a. Terrible Tilly on the horizon. (I think. Some lighthouse anyhow... although doesn't look quite as south as I would have guessed lol)
By the way, Paul Rentz called to my attention this situation re murres per the 2013 article - it didn't look to me like there was a purged colony on the needle (not enough bird poop yet for one thing) but I sure hope that everything is O.K. with them. today.oregonstate.edu/archives/2013/aug/bald-eagles-incre... He also said "I was at a talk about this situation and they think that when the Bald Eagles were common years ago, the Murre's wouldn't leave when an eagle came in, they knew one of them was 'going to get it' but their numbers would protect them from the other birds- it's like they forgot how to survive those attacks."
© Brian Pemberton Photography ׀ All Rights Reserved ׀ Please do not use without my written permission.
Marked this up for reference especially given photographs with more zoom ;-) red used to indicate Common Murres*, green to indicate Brandt's Cormorants, yellow to indicate Pelagic Cormorants (although I didn't take any pics of those on the needle, just those on the main Haystack Rock.) Original pic was at 21 mm zoom. * yes in the group of murres in the large red area top left there is a cormorant head poking out.
Eight hours of Haystack Rock on a lovely spring day. I had originally named this collage "Haystack Fog" but have renamed it to "Situational Awareness", as I put up a little poster with this image headed by that caption at work, and it has been well received.
The old pilot cartoon/joke "What are those mountain goats doing way up here in that cloud"... "What are those nesting murres doing way up here in that cloud..."
First, here's another image of Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach. I love Cannon Beach, so when I got my DSLR this past Christmas, that was one of the first places that I went, and an image of Haystack Rock was one of the first things that I posted to Flickr. Well, this past weekend, I headed back to Cannon Beach to see what Haystack Rock would look like now that I've learned a little bit about photography, and here's the result. I'm not sure if it's an improvement or not, but regardless, it's been a fun four months of learning.
Now, for the story part: After my photo session with Haystack Rock, I drove down the coast a few miles and hiked into Cape Falcon. When I reached the cliffs that overlook the ocean, the sun was out and it was beautiful and warm, so I looked around and found a nice spot on the rocks to lay down and relax. It felt wonderful, so I laid there for almost an hour, just listening to the ocean and watching the seagulls fly by. When it was time to hike back, I thought I should clean my camera lens first, so I pulled my camera and cleaning equipment out of my camera bag, and there I sat, happily cleaning away.
. . . And then, for some reason, I looked up into the sky.
GAAAAHHH! Talons! Feathers! Everywhere! A huge bald eagle was just five feet above me, wings outstretched and talons extended, coming in for the kill! I *freaked* out, and then---of course, I immediately thought about Flickr---so I dropped my cleaning equipment and tried to aim my camera at the eagle, at which point the eagle panicked and started trying to get away from me as fast as it could, because---I can only assume, just like me, it didn't like having its picture taken. Sadly, in all the commotion, I wasn't able to get a good shot of the eagle, basically just a shot of its rear-end as it was flying away, not exactly the greatest portrait I've ever taken.
So, there you have it, my "I almost got eaten by an eagle" story. The moral of this story is, hm, watch out for predatory raptors when you clean your lens? I have no idea. I'm just happy to still be here. :)
Inside the bowl of Cape Kiwanda, looking out at Haystack Rock. A bit treacherous standing in here with the incline and basically every inch inside of it being damp and somewhat slick. I was standing a little too far to the left of these rocks when a giant wave washed up the side and slipped behind me. A moment of panic as I fell forward with my camera on its tripod before grabbing the small formation. I wasn't swept into the ocean and crashed repeatedly against the rocks by the never-ending waves so I'm going to call this trip a success.