Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuges

09/04/2026

Our winter visitors are starting to arrive! 🦆🌊

You may have started seeing some black dots in the distant surf that looks similar to a Tufted Puffin. These sea ducks, while similar in coloration to a puffin, are Surf Scoters!

You can identify the males by their black and white plumage and bold multi-colored ill with a lot of orange. The females and younger birds are less flamboyant, with mottled brown plumage and some light markings on the face.

Surf Scoters are just one of the many wintering ducks that make Oregon's coastal waters and estuaries home for the season. So next time you spot an orange bill, give a closer look to ensure it's not a puffin!

Photo Credit: Roy W. Lowe

09/02/2026

Remembering Gary Meineken’s Service and Spirit

Gary was our dedicated maintenance volunteer at Bandon Marsh and Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuges for five years. He served alongside his partner Julie and became part of our refuge family. Gary passed away from a tragic accident last summer. We miss him dearly and think of him often.

Gary was responsible for a variety of maintenance tasks including mowing, trail trimming, fixing anything that broke, making nest boxes and so much more. He played a key role in making and installing the trail signs on the Myrtlewood Grove Nature Trail among his many other accomplishments!

Last week, we honored Gary by installing a remembrance plaque along the Myrtlewood Grove Nature trail. The plaque is placed on a bench overlooking the Ni-les’tun Marsh, nestled among the peaceful myrtlewood and sitka spruce trees.

We will forever remember Gary, his friendship, his dedication, and his volunteer service to our national wildlife refuges.

09/01/2026

Seabird Mortality Update: What You Need to Know Now

Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, protects the offshore rocks, reefs, and islands along the Oregon coast. It is nesting grounds to most of Oregon's ~1 million breeding seabirds.

Because these islands sit close to shore, the public often gets a close-up view of seabird life, including its harder realities. Some chick mortality each year is normal. To track when mortality rises above normal levels, we rely on data from COASST (coasst.org), which conducts routine beach monitoring for dead seabirds.

Current results do not indicate an unusual mortality event, but we continue to monitor closely.

Because we can't determine cause of death for individual seabirds, please keep pets and family away from any dead wildlife you encounter.

Photo of a young common murre by Peter Pearsall

08/29/2026

We're excited to welcome Andrea Kristof as the new Wildlife Biologist for the Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex!

She brings with her a wealth of experience that she gained in the 12 years she worked at Camas National Wildlife Refuge in Idaho, most of that as the wildlife biologist. While there she studied a variety of wildlife, including waterfowl and mourning doves for pacific flyway quotas, and contributed to research on trumpeter swans—focusing on their site fidelity, reproductive success, and spatial ecology within the Rocky Mountain population.

She also worked for the USFWS at Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument on projects involving Laysan and Black-footed Albatross, banding many of these seabirds, and monitoring the translocated Millerbird population on Laysan.

As the Wildlife Biologist here she will cover biology for six refuges, including habitat restoration in tidal wetlands and coastal prairies, supporting habitat for the threatened Oregon Silverspot butterfly, conducting winter goose surveys, monitoring over a million nesting seabirds, and leading invasive plant control efforts.

We’re thrilled to welcome Andrea and her expertise to the Oregon Coast!

08/27/2026

Nature’s Unexpected Reveal: An Intact Egg Within

You never know what you might find on the beach! This common murre was found and turned over to a refuge volunteer, it had been scavenged and remained on the sand near the tide. It held a surprise inside: an intact, vibrant blue egg. 🥚

A close look shows how the egg takes up a considerable portion of the murre's abdomen. This rare view gives us an idea of the incredible task it is for this small seabird to produce and lay an egg.

Common Murres do not build nests. Instead, they lay their single egg directly on bare rock. Both parents take turns incubating the egg on top of their feet until the chick hatches. Murre eggs also have an interesting shape, where the top is narrow and the bottom is wide and rounded.

08/27/2026

Tonight! And this is a photo from Bandon, OR.

Heads up, night owls! The moon is putting on a show tomorrow night.

Tomorrow night, 96% of the Moon’s face will pass into Earth’s shadow, with the partial lunar eclipse peaking around 12:12 a.m. EDT on August 28.

That means we’re getting very close to a total lunar eclipse, and much of the eclipsed Moon may take on a beautiful coppery-red glow.

The eclipse will be visible across much of the United States, weather permitting, with maximum eclipse occurring at 12:12 a.m. EDT / 9:12 p.m. PDT.

Consider this your official reminder to look up tomorrow night.

Photo of a lunar eclipse over the Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuges by Matte Hanna

08/24/2026

It's feeding time at Cannon Beach! 🦀🌊

This young of the year Black Oystercatcher was spotted with one of its parents searching for food at Haystack Rock. After seven years of failed nesting due to disturbances and natural predators, this pair finally had success!

This photo captures a great comparison between adult and juvenile characteristics in Black Oystercatchers. The younger bird has a shorter bill with a less vibrant orange coloration and a black tip. Its body is also smaller and lacks the striking orange eye ring seen in adults.

It's very exciting to see these oystercatcher families as they grow!

Photo Credit: Brenda Holmes-Stanciu

08/20/2026

This past weekend we tabled at Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint's Lighthouse Day!

We had over 200+ plus visitors at our booth learning about the Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuges. We also had seabirds in the scopes, and had a blast making puffin masks with kids and adults who stopped by!

Cape Meares is one of the only locations where you can see three National Wildlife Refuges in one place - Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge, Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge, and Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. If this is something that's on your bucket list, you should definitely stop by!

Photo by Jessica Ramirez/USFWS

08/19/2026

UPDATE: 08/18/2026
Cannon Beach Police were notified by United States Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement that the two paragliders were contacted and citations were issued to both pilots. Citations were for Unauthorized Aircraft while Harassing Wildlife. United States Fish and Wildlife thank the partnership of the Cannon Beach Police Department. Working together to keep our Marine Gardens and Wildlife Refuges undisturbed for all to enjoy. Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuges

🚨 Wildlife Disturbance Report Near Haystack Rock

This afternoon, the Cannon Beach Police Department was made aware of two paragliders operating around Haystack Rock and reportedly disturbing local wildlife. Officers identified the two individuals piloting the paragliders and completed a report documenting the incident. The information will be forwarded to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Law Enforcement for review and potential enforcement action.

We appreciate everyone who took the time to report the incident and help protect the wildlife that makes Cannon Beach such a special place. Your vigilance and partnership help keep Cannon Beach a safe and welcoming place to live and visit.

Thank you for looking out for our community and our wildlife! 🦅🌊

08/14/2026

More of Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge is restored, thanks to many partners like the MidCoast Watersheds Council! We welcome back the fish and the wildlife.

Read more:

Contractors finish first phase of $1.5 million restoration project in Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge