A large number of stranded common murre chicks are washing up near Cannon Beach both alive and dead, but wildlife biologists aren’t calling the event a die-off yet.
The Daily Astorian reported Friday that the Wildlife Center of the North Coast has about 30 of the baby seabirds in its care. Common murre fledglings leave the nest and start to swim in the ocean in late summer.
Experts say a healthy colony in Cannon Beach on Haystack Rock is very close to shore, which could be why more are also washing up there.
In 2014 and 2015, the wildlife center rescued about 2,000 birds as part of a massive die-off.
Northern California has already seen big die-offs this summer attributed to pollution and depleted fish stocks.
