Saturday, September 27, 2014

Day Two at Yakina Head

Field Sketch of Common Murres
August 5, 2014:  Yakina Head Ourstanding Natural Area, Newport, Oregon


Sunny!  And just a breeze!  We pick up a ‘Subway,' breakfast and head out to Yakina Head to eat.  It's a much tamer day, better for drawing and photographing, yet not as exhilarating as yesterday's wind and fog.  A little of both kinds of days is perfect. 

Yesterday I settled into drawing right away.  Today it takes me a while to focus.  We watched a whale while we ate, but then he wandered off.  I grab my camera before my sketchbook.  Dale will get lots of wonderful shots of the birds, but a few specifics catch my eye -- how sturdy certain plants are here, and
I like the young gull on a nest in the lighthouse window. 

All too soon the wind is building, but still mild compared to yesterday.  I try to record the sounds, but my little ipod microphone picks up too much wind.  Ah well.  Time to grab my sketchbook.  I put my camera in the car and pick up my scope and tripod.  I really wanted to add paint to at least one drawing yesterday, but it was too damp.  Maybe now. 

Suddenly screaming gulls interrupt the normal yammer of the colony.  A bald eagle is harassing the colony!  Hundreds and hundreds of murres take to the air, along with most of the cormorants.  The murres drop off the steep cliffs and fly low over the water.  They make no attempt to harass the eagle.  Soon the ocean is spotted with hundreds of murres.  Only the youngsters are left, those too young to jump or fly.  The eagle swoops low over the island and back again.  Gulls scream and chase.  No camera!  Where is Dale? 

After half a dozen swoops the eagle drops down on the far side of the island, out of sight.  I hustle over to tell Dale what is going on and to pick up my camera.  Three fourths of the island is now bare of birds where before they were sprinkled over the entire island top.  A few are returning.  It looks as though the excitement is over so Dale wanders off again and I start painting. 

Today the overlook has lots of visitors.  August is a busy time on the Oregon Coast.  Many people come here to enjoy the lighthouse; only a few know what a common murre is.  At least some will go home impressed by what they've seen today.  Others are just surprised to have seen 'penguins' in Oregon.
It's approaching noon when Dale comes back to check on me.  Perfect timing.  The gulls start screaming again and I watch young murres scrambling from the far side of the island to the near side, towards us.  Here comes the eagle.  He rises up and creates chaos all over again.  I suspect he has been on the back side of the island for the past hour and a half, enjoying dinner and digesting.  This time he doesn't stay long. 
With gulls close behind he heads north.  The gulls give him a good dose of scolding and they return to their island.

And so ends two wonderful half days at Yakina Head Outstanding Natural Area.
On our way home we stop at the Darlingtonia Wayside, just north of Florence, Oregon. It’s a small natural area designed to protect a small bog, surrounded by forest.  There, in a soggy, sunny opening, are hundred of Pitcher plants.  They have finished flowering, but the plants are doing just fine.  I paint them and then sketch them too. 


3 comments:

  1. I had not heard of murres either and had to go look them up. Seems like a fabulous two days of extremes.

    We passed an bald eagle that was eating some carrion alongside the road this weekend. Several vultures were also in attendance, but only the eagle ate. All but one kept a very respectable distance from the wage as well.

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  2. Love your account of these two days. Thanks for sharing.

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  3. Love your sketches and photos plus story. Not the post showing on my dashboard. :)

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