March 28th, 2014

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Shift canceled due to weather :(

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Haystack Rock Predators

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Have you ever been quietly observing the tidepools at Haystack Rock when all the birds suddenly start squawking and they all seem to take to the sky at once? This is a sure sign that the predatory birds that frequent the rock are on the hunt. Haystack Rock is frequently visited by Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, and occasionally by Osprey. The predators most common prey is the Common Murre ( Uria aalge ). Occasionally, they will take an adult cormorant, but more commonly they will take eggs from a unprotected nest after the parent bird flees it upon the arrival of the predators. Birds taking to the sky in response to the arrival of a predator Photo Courtesy of Susan Glarum There are two pair of bald eagles ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus ) that regularly frequent Haystack Rock. Eagles build large nests, predominantly in tall, sturdy conifers; one of the pair that visits Haystack Rock lives in the forest to the east of Cannon Beach and the other pair is usually seen flying ...
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Nudibranchs in the Tidepools

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Nudibranchs, also referred to as sea slugs, can frequently be spotted in the tidepools at Haystack Rock. There are many species of nudibranch, most having outstanding markings and colors. The nudibranch feed on bryozoans, hydroids and sponges and it's color can be changed by the food it eats.   The nudibranch has a pair of sensory projections on their head, called rhinophores, which allow them to smell and taste. Virtually all nudibranchs have some form of eyes but they are not well developed and in most cases are little more than a pigment spot in the head near the rhinophores.  The nudibranch breathes through gill projections which extract oxygen from the seawater. The Pacific Northwest has more than 200 species of nudibranchs. The Opalescent Nudibranch ( Hermissenda crassicornis ) could be called 'showy'. It is found from Alaska to Baja, California and can grow to two inches in size. At Haystack Rock, it can be found in the sandy bottom of a tidepool. It is slender wit...
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