Seaside Aquarium

09/04/2026

08/23/2026

It's Jumpling Season!
It is the time of year when the adorable common murre chicks are jumping/stumbling off of the rocks they were born on. Some are found on the beach alone and abandoned.

Visitors to the Oregon Coast often mistake common murres for baby penguins! Their tuxedo plumage and upright posture make them seem like they could be the penguin's Northwest cousin, but the common murre belongs to a different family of birds: the Auk family.

Starting in April, common murres congregate on near and offshore rocks such as Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach. They don't build nests like many of the other birds you'll see, instead each female chooses a bare ledge or cliff edge and lays upon it a single teardrop-shaped egg. The unique shape of the egg ensures it doesn't fall off the rock when disturbed because rather than rolling, it's apt to spin in circles.

Breeding murre colonies can be so dense that incubating parents are often touching one another. Both parents share duties of the incubation process and rearing of the chick for the first 2-4 weeks, at which point the father takes over completely. He leaves the rock for the surf below and calls to his young chick to join him. Fluttering its wings to help ease the fall, the chick leaps to its father and the true parenting begins. For the next two months the father will help teach the young fledgling how to fend for itself.

Besides coming ashore to breed, the common murre spends the rest of its life at sea. It can fly short distances, but its wings are adapted more suitably for diving and swimming. It feeds on small fish and is only able to catch one at a time in its small beak. Here on the Oregon Coast, juvenile murres are prone to wash ashore during the Fall and Winter seasons. When this happens, it's usually just because they're tired, hungry and unable to compete with rough ocean conditions.

The Wildlife Center of the North Coast is always looking for new volunteers. For more information on how to get involved in helping our local wildlife, visit https://www.coastwildlife.org

08/11/2026

We have been seeing a lot of whale activity at the Cove in Seaside this past week.
Humpback and Gray whales have been spotted along with a plethora of harbor porpoises.

Today, 3-4 Gray whales were feeding quite close to shore. The weather is perfect this week for whale watching. Surf is small, making it easy to spot these gentle giants.

07/29/2026

The weather is looking good for our Beach Discovery Program. The Discovery Program will be on the beach Thursday and Friday this week from 10 am to 4 pm. Stop by and check out all the things there are to find on our beach!

06/19/2026

Scully would like everyone to wish her a happy birthday. She has requested 28 extra fish instead of candles. Apparently, she is not concerned about her summer bod. Happy birthday old lady!

06/10/2026

Happy birthday to the sweetest seal in the world! Shireen turns 20 years old today. Come on in and wish her a happy birthday.

06/07/2026

While Vivian might not like sharing her birthday with Frankie, Frankie loves Vivian and doesn't mind sharing the attention.

Happy birthday, our buoy-loving girl. Today, Frankie is sealebrating her 15th birthday.

06/07/2026

How did this sweet girl turn so sassy? Vivian may officially be out of her teens, but she still has a teen's attitude. Today, Vivian turns 20 years old. Happy birthday, cheeky lady, we love you! (Shh, don't mention to her that it is also Frankie's birthday. She is not a fan of sharing her special day.)

06/06/2026

This handsome hog is turning 23 years old today. You may have encountered Lewis slapping his belly vigorously for treats; his appetite for treats and attention is unwavering.

Happy birthday, Lewis!