Hi folks,

Just got this message in from Dr Gary Kaiser from Canadian Wildlife =
Service, via the Seabird-L list. Coupled with the news we've heard from =
the Oregon colonies, it looks like a poor year was had by all...

Good thing that these alcids live long lives, so that a bad breeding =
year isn't a total disaster.

Jon. Anderson=20
Olympia, Washington
festuca at olywa.net

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 18:16:23 +0200 (SAST)
From: Kaiser, Gary [PYR] <Gary.Kaiser at ec.gc.ca>
Subject: [SEABIRD:370] Apparent productivity failure in Eastern North =
Pacific Ocean

There appears to be a widespread decline in seabird breeding
effort/success in parts of the eastern North Pacific Ocean. Last
November there was a large die-off among Northern Fulmar. Collected
carcasses lacked fat reserves (Wildlife Health Centre Newsletter
4(1):8). In a local request for information, D Welch of Fisheries and
Oceans Canada, states, "There was a concurrent sharp decline in Salmon
growth rates.

Summer but not winter upwelling has been sharply reduced along BC coast
and late summer nitrate levels for almost 1000 kms offshore have dropped
to zero -- so now primary production rate is limited by the rate of
nitrogen (NO3) regeneration -- and this apparently has not been observed
before 1990. Euhausiid and copepod abundances have also changed." =20
There have also been incidental reports that Hump-backed Whales and
Pacific White-sided Dolphins have changed their distribution. Bald
Eagle reproductive success is significantly lower than the past two
years (J. Elliott pers. comm.) and the Western Sandpiper migration is
either behind schedule or using a different route.

Captures of Ancient Murrelet chicks in May were the lowest on record at
Limestone Island, QCI (Laskeek Bay Conservation Society). In June,
there was some starvation of Cassin's Auklet nestlings on Triangle
Island (D. Bertram pers. comm.) but not on Frederick Island in the Queen
Charlotte Islands (A. Harfenist pers. comm.). Rhinoceros Auklet and
Tufted Puffin studies are just beginning and will include growth curves
and prey analysis. In June, there was no sign of breeding by Rhino
Auklets on Helgesen Island in the Queen Charlotte Islands but raccoons
have been active on that island in the past few years.

Marbled Murrelets appear to be breeding in smaller numbers. Capture
rates in desolation Sound are down more than 50%. Sand Lance did not
enter the inlet in large numbers until mid-June. Mid-May is a more
typical date. Attempts to capture murrelets in the Queen Charlotte
Islands in June were successful at one site but not at two other
"better" sites. Of the 9 birds captured, 2 lacked brood patches
completely and 2 had almost completed re-feathering. Murrelets tended
to occur in large flocks (up to 600) and less than half were seen in
pairs. Typically 3/4 appear as pairs or single birds in June.

The contributors to these notes are interested in hearing of conditions,
typical or otherwise) along the coast or about discontinuities in
expected conditions beginning about 1990.

Gary Kaiser
Seabird Ecology
Pacific and Yukon Region