On the coastline from northern California to northern Washington, Cassin's auklet carcasses by the thousands have been washing up in recent months, presenting a mystery for scientists as to what's killing them.

According a piece in the L.A. Times, a seabird team from the University of Washington has documented more than 1,200 bodies washing ashore since the fall.

But the team thinks that number represents just a small sampling of what is likely to be tens of thousands of birds.