Subject: [bcvanbirds] Western Grebe numbers
Date: Sep 24 12:48:39 2001
From: WAYNE WEBER - contopus at home.com


Kyle and Vancouver birders,

It's good to hear that there are now 3000 Western Grebes in Boundary
Bay. However, it would be premature to conclude that the decline in
wintering grebes has been reversed.

For one thing, the Western Grebe migration is far from over-- many of
them don't reach their wintering grounds until well into October.

Where are the 5000 or so Western Grebes that usually winter in English
Bay? Where are the 5000 to 10,000 that usually winter in Bellingham
Bay? What about the thousands that used to winter in Satellite
Channel, between Saltspring and Vancouver Islands?
Have they showed up yet?

The status of wintering Western Grebes in the Georgia Strait- Puget
Sound area needs to be carefully monitored over the next few years.
The alarming population declines within the last decade could mean a
real decline in numbers, or could just mean that the big flocks are
wintering farther south. There is a crying need for monitoring numbers
on the breeding grounds, in the same way that breeding duck
populations are monitored.

Thanks to Richard Swanston and Kyle Elliott for their reports, but
let's not jump to any conclusions about Western Grebe population
trends.

Wayne C. Weber
Kamloops and Delta, BC
contopus at home.com



----- Original Message -----
From: Kyle Hamish Elliott <kelliott at physics.ubc.ca>
To: e-groups <bcvanbirds at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, September 24, 2001 12:57 AM
Subject: Re: [bcvanbirds] Western Grebe


> Hi Rick,
>
> The Westerns were back again in Boundary Bay as well this year--at
> their regular time. We have about 3000 Westerns and 2000 Red-neckeds
out
> there (as well as hundreds of Horneds and loons) right now. It's
quite a
> sight to see. The highlight from yesterday's VNHS trip to 1001 Steps
was
> one Pacific Loon, rather early it seems to me.
>
> Good to hear the grebes are back. Maybe last year was just a bad
year!
>
> Kyle Elliott
> Langley BC
>
> These days the necessities of life cost you about three times what
they
> used to, and half the time they aren't even fit to drink.
>
> On Sun, 23 Sep 2001, Richard Swanston wrote:
>
> > >From Richard Swanston Delta , B.C. rickswan at netcom.ca
> >
> > Today with a little luck I arrived at the Ferry Causeway Just as
the
> > fog was lifting in the Strait and the sea was still calm . There
> > appeared to be good numbers of Grebes between the Causeways . Last
Year
> > there was a concern about numbers of Westerns so with a clicker
the
> > count came to 251 Westerns. Of note was a pair still doing the
> > mating dance well out in the middle.

< snip >
> >
> > Richard Swanston
> >