Our last murrelet chick came down the cabin-side funnels at 2:20 am on June 2. No chicks were captured in the two following nights, signaling the end of this season’s night work. The capture funnels have been taken down by this week’s hard working volunteers, and stored until next season.
The number of chicks departing this season was very positive: 136 chicks captured in funnels 5-8. This is the highest number recorded since 2007 when 166 chicks departed from these same funnels. Fewer chicks departed from Funnel 5 this season (2013 = 19, 2012 = 22), while the numbers at Funnel 6 increased somewhat (2013 = 66, 2012= 61) and funnels 7 and 8 accounted for most of the increase with a total of 51 chicks – up from 27 last season.