Endangered Murrelet Beauty

[dankearl]

I found this Marbled Murrelet on the beach in a cove on the Oregon Coast this weekend while doing landscape photography.
It was injured and beached, an obvious broken wing. Nothing I could do except help it to water where it obviously wanted to be.
I had never see one in the wild (not many people have), and I doubt there are many photographs of one on land so I may contact
Audubon or someone. I have a lot of photos, so I will share some here. It was sad but natural and a spectacular little seabird.

1/1000, f8, 200mm (70-200), D610, HH


610_4968bpn.jpg

[Karl Egressy]

Great find, unfortunate that the bird had to be injured to be found on the beach. Nice image with the wings up, Dan.

[Bill Dix]

A sad story, but a lovely side-lit image of this beautiful bird.

[gail bisson]

Great light, great bird, beautiful setting but a sad story.
Definitely worthwhile contacting Audubon and e-bird rare bird reports
Great POV and IQ as well,
Gail

[Sandy Witvoet]

Glad you helped it back to water. Looks like his right leg has issues too. Very nicely and delicately imaged, lovely lighting. I've never seen a Murrelet... appears that their legs are positioned very much like Loons and don't work well when on land. (Loons will come to land for some reason if they are really sick/injured/dying.) Nature will take its course. TFS.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Sad story, but great light, pose and exposure.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Love the shot Dan. Really pretty light.


Hope you don't mind me asking; did you try and catch it? Or contact a wildlife rescue organisation?
Don't know if it is a flying bird or a swimmer, but a broken wing is still painful.

[WillieHall]

love the exposure and sharpness, great capture of an endangered bird, thanks for sharing