AUGUST 17, 2017 // 11
THINKSTOCK.COM
Total solar eclipse phases
“We don’t have a lot of events because
we’re not in the 100-percent coverage zone,”
explained Skip Hauke, executive director of
the Astoria-Warrenton Chamber of Com-
merce. “I think I’ll just take a nap and wait
for the next one.”
The Columbia-Pacific region is just out-
side the “zone of totality,” unlike towns to
the south, such as Newport, which will see
the moon block 100 percent of the sun rather
than 97.4 percent locally, according to the
U.S. Naval Observatory website.
But, in addition to humans, there are
plenty of living creatures in the path of
the eclipse that will also get to experience
something entirely new for a couple of
hours.
At Haystack Rock
One group taking advantage of the short
astronomical event is the Haystack Rock
Awareness Program (HRAP) in Cannon
Beach.
Cindy Bryden — marine biologist,
oceanographer and lead environmental in-
terpreter — will lead the group’s scheduled
tidal exploration 7 to 11 a.m. that Monday.
The eclipse will begin at 9:06 a.m. and
continue until 11:36 a.m. — two hours and
31 minutes. Culmination will occur at 10:18
a.m.
The big word for the eclipse will be ‘syz-
ygy,’ Bryden said. This has to do with the
alignment of three celestial bodies — in this
case, the earth, moon and sun.
“I will have solar eclipse boxes for view-
ing, and put together an interactive demon-
stration to show the importance of the moon
controlling tides, using a beach ball and a
hula hoop,” she said.
Bird behavior
Many humans have been planning ahead
for the eclipse for years, but animals will
PHOTO BY COLIN MURPHEY
A painting of the eclipse by Don Frades
be taken by surprise. How they will react to
an unexpectedly darkened sky isn’t entirely
predictable.
“Some marine animals forage at night-
time. But would it be different from heavy
clouds or a storm? We don’t know,” Bryden
noted. “It’ll be fascinating to see what the
birds do when it gets dark, how much noise
they make, if they’re still flying around.
“The puffins are still there, and they
get active around mid-morning, when the
eclipse will take place. As for most marine
life, it won’t be as significant, because it’s
such a short time,” she continued.
The program will have bird scopes set up,
said Kari Henningsgaard, HRAP’s commu-
nications coordinator.
“We’re hoping to witness the birds tran-
sition from day to nighttime behavior as the
moon passes in front of the sun, and possibly
even get a glimpse of some nocturnal birds,”
she said.
Bryden encourages people of all ages to
share the experience with the HRAP team.
Just go to Haystock Rock and look for the
red truck. Participation is free and open to
the public.
A chance to observe
William Ritchie, a marine biologist with
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service based in
Ilwaco, Washington, said the uniqueness of
the event doesn’t allow for much laboratory
replication.
“Diurnal birds will most likely react as if
it were dusk, and roost,” Ritchie said. “Shore
birds will probably not be much affected and
will carry on.
“Even more interesting to me is what
will happen when the sun comes back, as
‘dawn,’” he continued. Potential cloud cover
could also influence the situation.
As for domestic animals and other
wildlife, Ritchie doesn’t expect any dramatic
changes. Dogs and cats — particularly cats
— will not greatly change their behavior, he
said, because this is not a concussive event,
such as an Independence Day fireworks
barrage.
Join the event worldwide
There’s an app, of course. The Califor-
nia Academy of Sciences has a citizens’
crowd-sharing project to track wildlife and
record observations during the eclipse,
found at www.inaturalist.org. By sharing
and comparing notes on the reactions of
animals great and small, observers can be
part of this once-in-a-lifetime event. CW