Welcome to Bandon

Sunday, I drove 5 hours or so to Newport, OR to stay overnight with my boss, Cheryl. Cheryl is a master's student at Oregon State University. Her master's project is to study the effects Bald Eagles have on the breeding season of Common Murres. She's awesome. She's my age, and really really nice. Whew! Anyways, my work spots are absolutely beautiful. I can't believe I get to do this. Yes, the wind is crazy, and it's cold (I like), but its spectacular. And I get to study these bird's behaviors! Doesn't get much better, well, if it was owls it would be, but still. So, I work Monday through Friday with varying shifts in the field and then work on data entry and video footage while I'm not in the field. I will have long days, and will stay busy, which is good. My first 2 days I got tours, somewhat of the coast of Oregon. I got to see all 4 types of pinnipeds you can see from the Oregon coast. Pinnipeds are seals and sea lions. So, I saw Steller's sea lions, California sea lions, Harbor seals, and elephant seals. Whoa! Some of them even had cubs! sooo cute! Also, we saw 5 grey whales hanging really close to shore, which doesn't happen very often. My first day of work I watched a juvenile Bald Eagle swoop down and pick up a Common Murre and carry it off to eat. Wow. Never thought I would ever witness that. It was amazing and slightly sad at the same time. Circle of life, Cherry, circle of life. :)

Oh, and when a Turkey Vulture came in and spooked off thousands of murres off of a rock, we watched these gulls harrass a murre until it hopped off of its nest from being so stressed out from it, and it's egg got eaten. Geez. It's a hard life for these birds. They are adorable, btw. What bird isn't? Hmm...that's a good thought. Turkey Vultures aren't adorable...they are pretty ugly. You guys have any birds you think are ugly?

 This is one of the views from my observation spot. This rock is called Table Rock.

 These two rocks are my main points for observing the Murres. They are called North Coquille Point Rock and Middle Coquille Point Rock. 

 Do you see the birds on top of the rock? Those little tiny white and black specs? Yeah those are Murres.

 This is my stuff and where my "office" is at Coquille Point.

 See that spout of water? That's a whale. 

 Lighthouse at Gregory Point, my second observation spot.

 The view from my actual observation spot. Those two rocks out front are called Sea Stacks. 

 Black-tailed deer

 In this picture are, sea lions and seals galore! 

 Harbor seals

 Me! We walked down this long steep trail to get to the beach to go tide pooling. 

 Sea life in a pool....sea anemones, hermit crabs, um, I think that's it in this one. 

 This is my view as we are tide pooling...seriously?

 Look what I'm holding....it moved....sllloooowwwlllyyy..haha

 Blue crab hiding from me

 Muscles! Lots of them! 

 More starfish! 

 Sea urchin...it was dead actually, I was just holding what was left. 

Me standing awkwardly in a beautiful background!